


Falling with Style

by ADashOfStarshine (ADashOfInsanity)



Series: The Adventures of Niki [1]
Category: Magic the Gathering, Original Work
Genre: Blow Jobs, Clothing Kink, Dom/sub Undertones, Dungeons & Dragons Character Backstory, First Time Bottoming, M/M, Public Sex, Ravnica Campaign backstory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-20
Updated: 2020-03-05
Packaged: 2020-10-24 23:29:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 28,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20714333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ADashOfInsanity/pseuds/ADashOfStarshine
Summary: Raised for the glory of Selesnya by over-zealous parents, Nikolai has had enough of being nothing but a decoration for his parent's temple. A flight of fancy lands him in lap of a gorgeous Rakdos Bloodwitch with a big reputation and a libido to match.Has Niki finally found a place where his talents are appreciated? Can this priests' son survive in the depravity of the Cult of Rakdos? He's more than willing to find out.  What does an acrobat do except fall with style?





	1. Devil's Play

Morning had come, and with it came the usual sounds of crushing parental disappointment.

“NIKOLAI!”

Like every temple resident, Nikolai was already awake. He sat on his bed, facing the small mirror propped on the bedside table. A fresh basket of flowers sat on the floor beside his bare feet as he wove the delicate white blossoms into his hair. He’d spent the last ten minutes battling his curls into a semblance of order that he knew his mother would still call horrific. However, if he prettied himself up ahead of time, she wouldn’t waste anyone else’s morning getting them to correct it. 

“NIKOLAI! YOUR MOTHER AND I ARE WAITING!”

He sighed, getting up with a slight groan. His throat felt like he’d been drinking sandpaper. There better be yoghurt left downstairs, or at least a cold glass of water.

Fastening up his robes, he strapped on his shiniest belt before heading downstairs. There were no doors in this temple, justified by some twisted logic about community and openness, so he saw his parents long before he reached them. The Hierarchs were dressed in their full ceremonial ensembles, complete with tall staves bearing the branching emblem of their guild. They were both in pure white like that made them better than everyone else. Nikolai didn’t know who they were trying to fool. He existed, didn’t he?

“Nikolai!” his mother huffed as soon as he was earshot, “Your hair!”

He sighed.

“Good morning Lord and Lady Hierarch. Glory to Mat’Selesnya!”

“Glory to Mat’Selesnya,” they said in perfect unison.

His mother pursed her lips.

“_Nikolai_,” she began, her voice growing ever sterner with each syllable she spoke, “This morning, we received some _very_ disturbing correspondence from Ms Selena at the Flourish Bakery.”

Nikolai pulled a face.

“Did you tell Ms Selena at the Flourish Bakery to mind her own business for once.”

“Nikolai!” barked his father, “Language!”

Nikolai merely stood his ground, waiting for whatever Ms Selena had written to his parents about this time. Seriously, the woman shouldn’t have bought a shop next to Hazelnut Passage. Everyone knew what happened down that street! Why would you even want to live overlooking Hazelnut Passage unless you wanted to create a cafe for teens to make out in, or were a total voyeur?

“This is our eighty-sixth piece of correspondence from Ms Selena over the last twenty years,” his mother continued, “The third this year. What does that tell you?”

“That Ms Selena is a creep who likes to spy on young people,” Nikolai replied.

His father’s brow was looking decidedly creased these days. He took a step forward, staff first.

“Ms Selena has reported to us,” he said, his voice measured as if trying to explain something very simple to an idiot, “That last night, you were seen with the Azorius Ambassador who visited our vernadi yesterday. What were you doing with him in Hazelnut Passage?”

“Spreading goodwill between guilds like Mat’Selesnya has taught us,” Nikolai responded, not missing a beat. He knew his parents weren’t going to believe a word of it, but he wasn’t in the mood to grovel just yet.

“Well that isn’t what Ms Selena informed us you were doing,” his father continued, “So why don't you stop being difficult and tell us exactly what you were doing in that alley?”

Nikolai let out a long sigh that had his mother’s eyebrow twitching.

“Spreading goodwill,” he repeated, “I’d say that ambassador went home feeling very good. I was merely doing my part for greatness of our guild.”

“You were blowing that man in an alley!” his mother suddenly screeched. His father put a hand on her shoulder, as if to calm her sudden onset of fury. There was a moment in which she struggled to compose herself, her husband whispering softly into her ear all the while. By the time they had both composed themselves, their faces were as stony as the walkway behind them.

“_Nikolai_,” said his father, “I believe we told you that “The Hazelnut Passage” was a place un-befitting of your status as our son.”

“Well I couldn’t take him home with me,” Nikolai reasoned, “And the fountain was far too public.”

His father pressed one hand to his temple, as if a sudden migraine had just taken hold.

“The issue Nikolai, is not _where_ you choose to engage in sexual intercourse. But the fact you choose to engage in sexual intercourse _in the first place_. Short of our great leader, you must understand that we are the highest order in this vernadi. It is therefore the role of our family to provide an example of purity, of cleanliness, of respectable practice and for our son to be seen as _such_ a disgrace…”

He shook his head, as if he didn’t want to believe what he was saying.

“Who says I’m a disgrace?” Nikolai replied, knowing exactly who, “The ambassador didn't say anything.”

“We-we do!” blustered his mother, her visible hand was gripping her staff very tight, “Just look at yourself Nikolai! You are the son of two Hierarchs! Our family has been honoured by Trostani herself! And-and look at what you’re doing! Using your world-given gifts for such selfish pursuits! Too long have you dishonoured the role we gave you! Demanding_ credit_ for your actions, expecting praise above and beyond your vernadi! Squandering all the time we have taken to raise you! Ever since you were but a tiny child, we have given you the best our vernadi has to offer! We have provided you countless tutors, trainers, teachers, to shape you into the best offering to Mat'Selesnya this family has to give! Hours and hours of gymnastic training, of dance lessons, and hundreds of zinos worth to clothe you, feed you, keep you fit and _presentable for purpose_! All of that! Ungratefully squandered!”

It wasn’t as if he didn’t get this speech twice a week, but it still stung. All his life they'd taken his every action like he was trying to purposefully disappoint them. That his every action was an affront to the fact they existed. Nikolai had accepted when he was small that his parents had never wanted a thinking breathing child of their own. They had wanted a carefully constructed doll that they would wheel out for special events, make it do a few backflips, and then put it away again for next time. Well, dolls didn’t suck off hot armoured men in alleyways. Well, they might, but he hadn’t discovered one that did yet. The point was, he’d never been the doll they wanted. Not as a small child, not as an adolescent, and even before he started seducing outsiders. Whatever he did, they were going to hate him for it. So why not give them something to actually be disappointed in? He’d get the same scolding but at least he’d have some fun beforehand. And they wondered why he didn’t like coming to family dinners!

“You made me take all those lessons,” he reminded them, crossing his arms and scrunching up the sleeves of his robes, “You told me I couldn’t have meals if I didn’t complete each part of my training perfectly. And when I was so tired that I couldn’t, I didn’t get any food. So don’t lecture me about having to feed me. You are perfectly capable of starving me whenever you want to.”

His mother looked like she was about to explode. His father put his hand back on her shoulder. Once again, they started whispering as if Nikolai wasn’t standing right in front of them. He rolled his eyes and tapped his foot, tempted to see if he could backflip his way up the stairs just to see their reactions.

“Nikolai,” his father said, finally speaking after a good five minutes of muttering. His voice was so even and level, you could probably measure it with a ruler.

“Nikolai, go to your room. You will not leave your room until you have prepared an adequate apology for the rudeness you have shown your mother, and the disrespect you have shown both of us. You will receive no interruptions. No visitors. No means to ease your meditation. Go. Only face us again when you are ready to apologise on bended knee. I said - Go!”

Nikolai’s hands balled into fists. He took a deep breath as his parents watched on in stern disapproval. He opened his mouth as if to speak, before turning around to march silently up the stairs.

“And do your hair young man!” his mother called after him.

Once back in room, Nikolai threw himself at his bed. This wasn’t going to be like last time! Last time he’d been a good boy and kneeled at his parents’ feet, kissed their hands and begged for forgiveness. Just like he’d done the time before that, and the time before that and every time since he was a gods-damn toddler! Not this time! He wasn’t some petrified little boy! He was a fucking adult man who didn’t need to be told he was a burden to look after! By Ravnican law he was an adult now! It was just stupid elven tradition that meant they could treat him like a child! 

Tears burned at his eyes as he buried his face in his pillow. He hated this! He hated everything about this place! He’d given them everything he could possibly give! He’d danced until his feet bled and his arms ached, yet it was still never enough. And when someone came along who appreciated him for what he could do, like that handsome Azorius ambassador, he wasn’t even allowed to spend time with them! What was wrong with thanking them for their appreciation? What was wrong with receiving compliments? His vernadi contributed shit-all when it came to his performances, especially his solo ones. Yet it was always his vernadi, or worse, _his parents_ that got congratulated for all his hard work!

Maybe he shouldn’t antagonise them so much. However, they weren’t going to be any nicer to him if he didn’t. When he was little, he’d tried every way his small brain could come up with just to earn a hug or a kind word. Yet his parents weren’t the sort who gave hugs or kind words. They gave lectures about giving yourself to the glory of Selesnya, and they knocked your legs out from under you with their staves if you ran in the corridors.

Were you allowed to hate your parents? Everything Nikolai had read said ‘no’ but all the things he’d ever read were given to him by his parents. They weren’t be trusted. He didn’t just hate this place. He hated them. He hated them so much for trying to make him feel guilty for existing. He hated them for wanting him to be a doll and not a person. He hated them for never telling him he was a good boy or even a good gymnast. He was an amazing gymnast. And he knew he could have been an amazing boy too. If only they were able to see it.

He wiped his tears on the blankets as he sat up and stared out the window. There was a balcony on the floor below with a tall rail leading down to the next layer. He had often jumped from his own window sill, down to that balcony and then followed the railings down. No one was going to check on him. No one was going to even notice he’d gone. He wouldn't get food, water or company until he'd grovelled at his parents feet. So, why didn’t he just leave and not come back? This vernadi and the surrounding streets had been his whole life. But what if there was a life for him out there, on the other side of the district, where his parents would never find him?

He had to try.

At least dip his toes into the waters to see if he could take the plunge.

He dived under his bed, shifting the loose floorboard to reveal his hoard of forbidden items. In addition to his collection of dried fruits and meats (snacks in case his parents decided he didn’t need dinner), he had two knives, a bar of soap and a pouch almost bursting with zinos. He’d been collecting gold coins out of the fountains for decades now, squirrelling them away under his bed in the hopes that one day he’d get to spend them. And now he would. Collecting them all up into a satchel, he slipped on his sandals before vaulting out of the window, feeling the wind rushing through his hair. As he sprinted across the balcony and down the rail, he couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear. Time to give them something to truly complain about.

Today, Nikolai was going to _purposefully_ disappoint his parents.

First things first, a hair cut. He was so fed up of his mother’s constant comments about his hair. It was a complete pain to try and brush it out every morning. His hair fell in ringlets about his face and there was nothing he could do about that, no matter how hard anyone tugged. He did however love the fiery colour of his hair, which was present in neither of his parents. Apparently, he took after his grandmother on his father’s side and his mother hated it. He found a guildless bathhouse and had a luxurious bath with all the soap he could possibly use, before heading to the nearest barbers. The tiled floor of the shop was soon covered in fiery curls as large amounts of his hair was cut and then shaved away, leaving him with a rebellious asymmetrical look that would no doubt make his ancestors weep. He then went exploring the adjacent neighbourhood, venturing further from his home than he’d ever done in his life.

As he walked, peering into shop fronts and ‘ooh’-ing at street vendors, he ran over a list in his head of all the things he knew his parents would hate. Hair had been achieved but they would undoubtedly be even more mad if he got a piercing, or a tattoo…or both! They would also hate it if he stayed out really late, so he was almost certainly going to do that. What if he stayed out in a bar, got really drunk, and came home a true disgrace?! Maybe after blowing multiple guys in an alley! Gods, they’d kick him out for sure! It was certainly a plan. He got his ears pierced at a little Rakdos owned parlour next to a bakery. After he got through the pain of having a needle put through both of his ears, he rewarded himself with a pink iced bun and ate it whilst wandering through a pleasant looking park. There was a play area amidst the greenery. His parents had never let him go out and play whilst there was training to be done. There was always training to be done. Yet now there didn’t seem to be any actual children around, Nikolai couldn’t imagine abetter chance to try out what he’d missed. He ran up the stairs and slid down the slide a few times. Span around on the roundabout for a bit and then spent a good half an hour on the swings. Satisfied with the entire playpark experience, he then went looking for lunch and after that, a tattoo parlour.

Ow.

Ow

And did he mention, _ow?_

Turns out getting a tattoo was pretty fucking painful. Thank goodness he decided not to have any colour done or he would have been there even longer. Most of the afternoon was taken up waiting for his appointment and choosing his design, but when he got into the chair he had to delve into the pit of endurance usually reserved for gruelling bouts of dance training. He’d always thought tattoos looked really neat but he’d never imagined they would be so horrendously ouchy! How did people get their whole arms done? Or their backs?! His tattoo stretched from his shoulder to his elbow, elegant swirling bands of black reminiscent of a wrought iron gate he’d passed earlier. However, some people had their designs coloured in too. That was so much!

He staggered out of the tattoo parlour and straight towards the nearest bar. He’d planned to get drunk and now seemed like a better time than any. Hopefully the drink would dull the pain a bit. As he entered, he noticed the large sign across the front had been made out of jagged bits of scrap metal and chain. It was called “The Dead Reveller” and had a very obvious Rakdos symbol painted across the ironwork. His need for a drink was too great, he went inside without giving the crest a second thought.

It was late afternoon, so he wasn’t too surprised that the place looked empty. The smoky glass of the windows left the whole bar very dark, only the occasional flickering wall sconce lit the way from the entrance down to the bar. Nikolai could hear piano music and raucous singing as he stepped into the darkness. The hallway, if you could call it that, was tiled in dark faintly glittering stone, spiked iron railings left no guesswork as to what direction he was meant to be going. He followed the sparkling path, marvelling at how the firelight glittered about his feet. The railing lined slope lead to a beaded curtain made of tiny red crystals and rusted knives. Nikolai considered it for a moment, before pushing through, realising the knives were so old they had lost all their sharpness.

The Dead Reveller proper was entirely underground, with the bar taking up one wall, the rest of the space was filled with red and black leather seats – sofas, armchairs, a few high barstools about iron-legged tables. At the far end, a woman was playing a grand piano, with another lady sprawled on top of it, entertaining a small group of people close by. If Nikolai didn’t have the keen vision of his race, he would have struggled to navigate the room with its dim red-tinted lighting. As it was however, he managed to dodge a set of round leather stools and make his way to the bar. The price boards were framed with that looked like wrought iron bars. Nikolai couldn’t help but think they matched his tattoo. He surveyed them for a moment, focusing on a list of interesting looking cocktails. That would certainly do the trick!

The barman noticed he was standing there. He was a scrawny looking man dressed in a stripped bodysuit that had certainly seen better days. Over the top he had a black apron, embroidered into which was the title of his bar.

“Afternoon,” Nikolai, greeted him, “One Devil’s Play please.”

The barman stared at him. Had he not heard?

“Sorry, I said could I have one-“

“I heard you the first time you little twerp.”

Nikolai took a step backwards, caught off guard by this man’s sudden hostility. What had he done wrong? Was this a membership-only place? But they’d just let him walk in? The barman let out a loud huff and jabbed one bony finger at a sign on the bar. It read NO MINORS in large red letters above a cross looking face.

“I’m not a minor,” Nikolai informed him. The man raised an eyebrow at him.

“You’re kidding no one son, get out, before I call the big guy.”

Nikolai had no plans to find out who this big guy was, but neither did he appreciate being treated like a child again today.

“I’m eighty-five years old!” he explained, “Can’t you see I’m an elf?” He pointed at his newly pierced ears. As the barman squinted at him, it occurred to Nikolai that it was so dark in here the human probably couldn’t see that well in his own establishment. He stepped closer, trying to show the man just how pointy his ears were. However, the barkeep just jabbed at his sign again.

“I said _No Minors_. Get out unscathed before I get the big guy to throw two blocks over.”

“But I’m an adult!” Nikolai protested, “And a paying customer! I just look young because I’m an elf. Have you never seen an elf before?”

The barman said nothing.

“Look, I just got this tattoo,” Nikolai pointed at it, “I just need a drink, one drink, to take the pain off. One drink and I’ll go, I promise.”

The barman let out a weary sigh that sounded too much like Nikolai’s father for comfort. He turned his back on Nikolai, taking the few steps towards the rows of bottles and kegs that lined the back of his serving space. Nikolai noticed then that was a large red bell tucked between two shelves of spirits, a knotted black rope tied to its centre as a pull. Was that how he summoned the big guy? Should he run now? What was the big guy? The barman had his hand about the rope when suddenly someone called:

“Oi, Mikey, refill me would you?”

Mikey let go of the rope and turned.

Nikolai span on the spot.

His mouth fell open.

Standing before him was a sculpture of a man, towering over Nikolai, all glistening muscle and hard metal chain. His deep brown eyes glowed warmly in the red lighting, his lips curling into a smile as Nikolai continued to gawp and stare. He was shirtless except for the large horned skull placed on his topmost row of abs, suspended there through bands of spiked chains around his chest and torso. His shoulders were mounted with wide barbed plate mail, deep red in hue with black runes scrawled across the trim. There was a pair of tattoos, like grasping claws around each side of his throat, the topmost talon of each lost to his neatly-groomed beard. His hair was streaked with red dye that glowed brightly through the darkness. Nikolai couldn’t stop his gaze moving swiftly downwards, following the tantalising trail of hair that led from his large pecs, down to the tight V that disappeared beneath black leather. The tightness of his glossy trousers did nothing to obscure the powerful musculature of his thighs and the enormity what lay between them. Nikolai caught himself transfixed before hastily returning his gaze to the man’s face. A pair of wide horns crowned his head as if he needed their girth to be any more mesmerising. 

The man stepped up to the bar, putting a pint glass on the wood with a loud thunk. Now they stood side by side, Nikolai swiftly realised he barely reached the man’s shoulders. He hadn’t seen many pint glasses in his life, but those he had seen never looked so small in a man’s hand.

“Oh, and a Devil’s Play for the cutie here,” said the man.

Nikolai felt his heart hammer in his throat. Flushing, he realised that this man, this god of a man, thought _he_ was cute. He tried to insist that he could pay for his own drink, but all that came out of him was an excitable gasp.

The barman gave him a disgusted look, but it appeared he wasn’t going to deny this particular customer. He pushed a bright red cocktail across the bar and the man took it in his other hand.

“Shall we?” he asked Nikolai.

Nikolai immediately nodded, following him across the room to an even darker corner, far away from the racket of the piano. The man placed both drinks on a low table before taking a seat on a black leather sofa, patting the cushion beside him. Nikolai sat at once, hands fisted in his robes as he couldn’t help but stare at the long line of red light that illuminated a strip of gleaming muscle right down to the man’s crotch.

“Roxy at the Bladebrand told me there was a cute elf wandering in this direction,” said the man, “Looking for relief after his first ink, sure to stumble in here. What she didn’t tell me was he was gods-damn piece of art.”

Nikolai was sure he was as red as the lamplight by now. The Bladebrand was the parlour he’d got his tattoo at. The artist must have sent a message ahead when she realised he might wander in here. He wanted to thank her, or at least ask how she’d got a message over so fast. What actually came out was:

“You-you really think I’m cute?”

The man chuckled, leaning back in the sofa, legs spread with a casual confidence, drawing all attention to the bulge in his leather trousers.

“Is that a surprise?” he teased.

Nikolai let out a small giggle and instantly covered his mouth, as if surprised the noise had come out.

“Well, no Sir but…,” he steeled his confidence, “It’s hard to believe you’re a piece of art when you’ve got the national treasure right next to you.”

He picked up his drink as the man looked at him, a little taken aback by his response. However, the surprise quickly faded as he grinned from ear to ear.

“Well I’ll be, the cutie-pie has spice in him. What are you doing so far from your tree sweetheart?”

Nikolai took a sip of his drink. It tasted like raspberries and fire. Not unpleasant at all.

“I ran away,” he said simply, “There was no reason to stay in that hell. I’m living how I want now. I get to eat and they can’t stop me”

He tried to look nonchalant behind another swig of cocktail. However, the man’s gaze quickly grew concerned.

“Hell?” he repeated, “Eat? What happened at your tree sweetheart?”

Of all the things Nikolai expected to be doing today, telling his life’s woes to a gorgeous man in a Rakdos bar certainly wasn’t one of them. He went through two Devil’s Plays and at some point ended up in the man’s lap, holding onto the man’s chains as he recited everything his parents had said to him in a voice that shook with emotion. He begged the stranger to understand that he wasn’t _trying_ to piss anyone off, he just wanted to be himself. He wanted to be appreciated for what he was, what he could do, not paraded around like some oversized doll.

“I get it,” said the man, “You’ve worked so fucking hard, you just want recognition for it. You worked your pretty ass off, that praise deserves to be yours and only yours. Not your awful fucking parents', not your gods-damn tree's. You’re the amazing one and you deserve to feel amazing.”'

“Yes!” Nikolai exclaimed, almost rapturous in his joy at being understood, “Yes, I want that more than anything.”

He felt strong fingers sweep the curls out of his face as the man’s other hand settled on his thigh. He was so big, Nikolai was sure he could wrap both hands around his waist and his fingers would touch. 

“You want to perform to a crowd who loves you?” continued the man.

“_Yes_,” Nikolai purred. He leant into the touch on his face, all the while shifting in the man’s lap so the grip on his thigh moved closer to where he really wanted it. 

“You want to live your own life," said the man, "Earn your own zinos, eat your own food?”

“_Yes, so much_.”

That hand finally gravitated to his ass and Nikolai couldn’t help but let out a breathy moan that had the man smirking where he sat.

“I-I want,” Nikolai gasped as the hand on his face left grasp a different sort of cheek. He gravitated into the firm grip on his backside, daring the man to squeeze, knead, anything. Couldn’t he see that Nikolai wanted him so bad?

“I-I want to be free,” Nikolai panted, “I want to _Oh_!”

The man lifted him by the ass so Nikolai was straddling him, crotch to crotch. Nikolai had to put his hands forward, splaying his fingers on the man’s chest as he felt himself grow hard beneath his robes. Even the slightest movement ground his hips against the sizeable tent in the man's trousers. Nikolai desired nothing more than to see what it was like under there, released, unrestrained, could he even get it all in his mouth? He _needed_ to find out. 

He couldn’t help himself. His hips were moving, any fear of where he was long lost to liquor and this man’s intoxicating presence. He rutted against the man’s leather-covered cock, keening as he was drawn into a scorching kiss that left him dizzy with lust. This man was over-powering but Nikolai certainly had no objections to being ravished. The hands on his ass pulled him forward, encouraging him to press hard against the larger man’s crotch, grinding him down with such force that Nikolai knew he wouldn’t be able to last much longer.

“Please,” he begged as they parted for air, “Oh please Sir…I want you to-to. I want your cock in my throat, I want to taste your cum!”

The man’s entire chest rumbled with his laughter, delight evident on his gorgeous features.

“When you beg so sweetly, how can I say no?” he murmured, “But there will be plenty of time for that later. For now, I want to see you make a mess of those pretty little robes of yours. I know you can do it. Be a good boy for me and come at the thought of how much you want this. How much you want my cock." 

Nikolai had forgotten entirely that they were in a bar. A bar where anyone could walk over and see him desperately rutting against another man’s crotch, chasing his own release with wild abandon. Nothing else mattered. All he cared for were the searing open-mouthed kisses, the strong grip on his ass, and the enormous cock beneath him, straining at its leather prison. By the end of the night, he would have that inside of him. The thought was enough to send him hurtling towards orgasm, hips jerking as he came in his shorts. Every moment, every expression, every bead of sweat was watched by the man still kneading his ass.

Nikolai collapsed against the man’s chest, the spikes of his chains digging into his robes, but he was beyond caring. No one had ever worked him up like that. Usually he had taken at least one layer of clothing off his partner before, well, that… He moaned as the man drew him into another kiss, gentler this time, as he panted his way through the afterglow.

“You said your name was Nikolai, right?” said the man.

“Niki,” Niki gasped, “Please, call me Niki Sir.”

“Alright then Niki,” he said, “Let me introduce you to your new guild.”


	2. Ups and Downs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who is Niki's knight in spiked leather armour? And where is he taking Niki now?

The man finished off his drink at a leisurely pace, allowing Niki plenty of time to recover and feel quite how sticky his shorts had become. His robes were clinging to his thighs in the most telling manner, the front soiled with sweat whilst, on closer inspection, he couldn’t help but notice slightly sooty finger prints on his rear. Yet, as he sprawled across the hottest man he’d ever met in his life, Niki couldn’t bring himself to care about laundry. He arched into every touch of the man’s hand, revelled in strong fingers tracing the lines of his very fresh tattoo. By the time his heart rate returned to some semblance of normal, he realised what he’d neglected to ask.

“Sir?” he asked. The man raised one elegant eyebrow at him.

“Yes sweetheart?”

“You have my name,” Niki pointed out, “But what do I call you? Sir is _perfectly_ fine but... I’m curious.”

The man chuckled. Niki loved how his chest rumbled with his laughter. He traced the line of thick hair with one finger, so different to anyone he’d seen in the bathhouse. Elves had been cheated really, being denied this.

“Well, most people call me my Lord, or Master,” he said, grinning even more as Niki’s eyes widened in barely restrained lust.

“But you, sweetheart, may call me Dorian.”

“Master Dorian,” Niki breathed. The name suited such an overpowering example of masculinity. Dorian could certainly master him any day, perhaps he already had.

“And what do you do Master?” he asked, “In the Rakdos, I mean?”

Dorian made a low noise in the back of his throat, as if being called ‘Master’ by a lapful of needy elf had finally broken through his calm façade. When he spoke, his voice had turned a little deeper, a little huskier, enough to keep Niki rapt with attention.

“Have you ever heard of a bloodwitch sweetheart?”

Niki shook his head.

“Well, what you need to know about us, is that we’re second to only The Great Defiler himself,” Dorian continued, “We command the respect of every establishment we visit. We’re Lord Rakdos’ inner council, in a way. He chose us and we’re the only ones he ever listens to.”

Niki couldn’t help but gasp. In the Selesnya, that position would be known as a Dignitary. It was a rank his parents had been silently begging for over the centuries but they’d never managed to catch that much of Trostani’s attention. Yet Master Dorian had the ear of Lord Rakdos himself? Could he possibly _be_ anymore amazing?

“Have you performed in front of The Great Defiler?”

Dorian nodded, draining his glass before putting it down on the arm of the sofa.

“Not just performed, I led. I have a whole troop full of devils, demons and horrors just waiting for me to get back to Rix Maadi. I’m their puppetmaster, their ringleader, what I say goes, and they dance all night for the glory of Lord Rakdos.”

He grinned as he saw the excitement written plain across Niki’s face.

“Get yourself invited to Rix Maadi sweetheart, and I’ll give you the full tour. That’s a promise. For now though…”

He stretched his arms a little, the scarlet lamplight illuminating them brilliantly as he flexed.

“How about we go drop in an old friend of mine? Give you a taste of what a proper show is like.”

Ten minutes later, Niki was being led round the back of an impressive looking building, the exterior of which had been hung with long silk banners, striped with the Rakdos colours of red and black. Walking in his sticky shorts was quite uncomfortable, but he was determined not to complain. Not when his afternoon had turned out so miraculously well. He walked beside Dorian, one of the bloodwitch’s arms still wrapped possessively round his waist. Instead of heading through the large revolving doors at the main entrance, Dorian steered them round the side of the building. Niki was sure the place was once, or perhaps still was, a hotel. The flagpoles, striped awnings and outside patio area were fairly big hints. Yet, when they finally reached their destination, he swiftly changed his mind. Around the back was a series of double doors each labelled with a large red number. Dorian pushed his way through number one and into a dark space absolutely packed with crates, boxes and empty cages. He moved about these with practiced ease, Niki hurrying beside him to keep himself in hold. There was another door at the far end of the storage room, this one marked with a solitary red light that buzzed faintly as they approached. Through that door was a corridor, lined by a wall on one side and curtain on the other. Dorian took a moment to fumble for a gap in the curtain, before pushing his way through.

This wasn’t a hotel. It was a theatre. They were backstage between two sets of thick black curtains. Towering pieces of equipment – from canons to spiked wheels to unicycles filled up half of the space. There were crates of fireworks stacked precariously beneath them, propping them up, a foundation that seemed likely to explode at any moment. A solitary iron ring hung from the ceiling above the bare floorboards, an acrobat in a striped leotard swung idly from it, upside down and seemingly uncaring that two new arrivals had appeared in her practice space. Dorian also ignored her, leading Niki past a rather large, and definitely bloody, stain on the woodwork, and through the next set of curtains.

It was the stage.

As big as a banquet hall and thrice as awe-inspiring. It seemed to go up forever, disappearing into a haze of smoke and iron spikes. All number of fantastical pieces of equipment criss-crossed its skyline. Tightropes of barbed wire, spiked iron hoops hanging off thick red ropes. Trapeze swings glittered overhead with gold and red streamers dangling off their sharp edges. Thin iron platforms, too high for anyone to touch, loomed out of the smoke. A handle jutted out from beneath one, making it look like the diamond-shaped stepping stones rotated as they spanned the entire width of the stage. And then there was the stage itself. The audience was kept at bay with wide spiked candelabras, still lit from their last performance, their thorny branches splattered with fresh blood. A grand wheel, supported by an equally-immense section of scaffolding, stood resplendent at the back of the performance space. It was studded with knives, scythes and even a pitchfork. Each coloured panel had a different picture painted into it, and the thick bands of bloody iron, positioned no doubt to restrain, told a vivid picture of what else this wheel had born.

It was extravagant in a way Niki had never seen before. Artistic in a fashion that wasn’t full of wood textures and pale light. He wanted to try out those hoops, run the platforms, hell, he’d give the tightrope a go! He was itching to get up there but it would be awfully rude to abandon his host in his excitement.

“Antonio!” Dorian called out, “You about Antonio?”

There was a loud crash from behind the wheel. Squeezing himself through the scaffolding, was a squat looking man with an excessively-large ruff about his neck. It was so wide that those beneath him could probably use it as an umbrella, or a shelf. As Antonio approached them, Niki realised that this man was not a man at all. He was a demon with dark purplish skin and long claws that had been painted gold at the tips. He had a pair of half-moon spectacles perched on his rather crooked nose, the arms of which had been attached to a gold chain that looped up over his curled horns. In addition to the ruff, he had a red leather waistcoat and a pair of matching trousers, both a little worn out and patched up.

“Ah! Lord Dorian!” he croaked, “For what we do we owe the pleasure?”

Dorian let go of Niki to stride up to the demon and shake one of his clawed hands. The demon cringed as the bloodwitch loomed over him, cutting a shadow in the flickering stage lights.

“Had any casualties lately Antonio?”

He spoke as if remarking on the weather.

“Y-Yes Lord Dorian, of course Lord Dorian,” Antonio replied, ringing his clawed hands together, “I suppose you’ll be wanting a change of clothes for your pet.”

“How generous of you to offer Antonio.” Dorian turned back to Niki, who instantly hurried to his side.

“Go through the door to the left and into the room lined with racks,” Dorian murmured, “Get a few outfits. There won’t be much of that robe left by the end of the night.”

“Is that a promise?” Niki asked, feeling as if his blush had never left him, yet somehow he flushed redder.

“Cross my heart and hope to die,” Dorian smirked. He pulled Niki up into a kiss that left him dangling on his tiptoes.

“Now go pick yourself out something pretty.”

Niki hurried off to the room he’d been instructed to find. It was a short storage closet lined from wall to wall with metal railings, each packed with every sort of clothing imaginable. It wasn’t all Rakdos-themed either. There were Boros capes in here, Simic robes stuffed in with Orzhov gowns. From the plainest smock to the fanciest doublets, there was clothing as far as the eye could see and so much of it looked like it was never worn. If this was a theatre, then surely they should be using all this costuming? He pulled a waistcoat off a rack and saw that, despite the fact it had clearly been laundered, there was a huge hole exactly over where someone’s heart would be. Ah. Well, that explained something. These weren’t costumes at all. That meant no one would miss them if he took a few.

He decided to change in the storage room, relieved to be out of his very sticky clothing. There was no underwear in here, but judging by the tightness of all the Rakdos clothing he found, they could either serve as underwear or neglect the need for it entirely. He discovered a pair of black shorts that were so unlike anything he’d worn at the vernadi, he fell in love with them immediately. They weren’t quite as shiny as Dorian’s trousers, but they showed off his ass like nothing had ever done before. There were glittery red stripes down the side, leading to dark metal rings, fastened on with more leather, studded this time. For a moment, Niki wondered what the rings were for when he spotted another set of clothing – a bodysuit with rings on the sleeves and legs. Attached to these were long streamers of fabric, each tipped with a sharp metal point. They would add a beauty and danger to a dancer’s movements that Niki had never experienced before. He took two of the streamers off the bodysuit and added them to his own shorts instead. 

Locating a shirt that fit him was a little trickier. On the way, he found a pair of striped stockings that made his legs look so long and elegant that he decided he was always wearing stockings, or at least very tall boots, from now on. He tested out his new shorts by lifting one foot above his head, loving how soft the stockings were against the side of his face. As he did a few practice flips, to get the hang of the streamers, he finally spotted a shirt he could wear. It was a small lace top, mostly translucent if not for the large red and black flowers spun into the lacework. It came down to his waist, leaving his stomach bare straight down the low waistline of his shorts. The top was probably meant for someone with breasts but it fell on him in such a way that the flowers framed his physique nicely. To his delight, he found a pair of long gloves that matched his stockings, fingerless to allow for a better grip on a pole or swing. The last piece of this outfit he spotted not in the Rakdos rails, but haphazardly left on a shelf full of hats, scarves and jewellery. There was a choker, more like a collar, made of thick black leather. From its band dangled a golden padlock set with a pair of black gemstones instead of a keyhole. It was beautiful in its simplicity and his parents would absolutely hate it. Niki put it on with a satisfyingly solid click, before remembering he was meant to be finding more than one outfit here. Well, better start the search again.

By the time he had found two more outfits, folded them up neatly, and put them in his bag, he was worried that he’d taken too long. He considered what to do with his robes before stuffing them too in the bag. He couldn’t help but feel the ghost of the fabric swishing about his ankles as he went back the way he came. He expected there to be long skirts swirling about him with every step, but instead there was just a pair of beautiful silk stockings, finally allowing his legs to be shown in all their glory. Niki returned to find that Dorian was still talking with Antonio, but now there was quite the crowd around him. At least a dozen or so performers had gathered about him, laughing, chattering, begging him for stories about Rix Maadi. Niki was about to join them when something caught his attention, something that he hadn’t seen when he’d first entered this enormous theatre. There were a pair of thick black sheets hanging from the ceiling, trailing all the way down to only a foot above the stage floor. Whilst spiked hoops and rotating platforms were somewhat new to him, this certainly wasn’t. He dropped his bag behind a basket of juggling batons, took a few steps back, before promptly sprinting at the hangings and leaping into their embrace.

Who knew the Rakdos enjoyed the same art as the Selesnyans? Aerial dancing was somewhat of a favourite of his. The combination of his gymnastic training, mixed with the adrenaline of being so high up, all topped off with the sensation of all that fabric brushing against his skin. He furled the fabric into ropes as he climbed. Up and up high above the stage, wrapping his body in the glimmering black sheets as he set off a gentle motion. Swinging back and forth, he danced through the folds, tumbling and catching himself, spinning and weaving, suspended by his ankles and threatening to let go, before flipping into a handstand that had him cascading down a fountain of cloth. Like a sycamore leaf on the wind, he spiralled downwards, his fiery hair a beacon on the darkened stage. Then, just before he reached the end of the sheet, he swung himself up back up, pulling the fabric taught.

There was a loud whoop and a round of applause from the assembled performers. Niki lifted his feet far above his head, pushing his new shorts to the limit as he stretched himself into the splits, before spinning back down towards the ground. He flipped once, twice, landed on his feet before cartwheeling towards the sound of his name from the crowd.

“Niki, sweetheart, what the fuck was that?!” Dorian didn’t sound angry, more like amazed. The crowd parted as he stepped forward, directly into the path of Niki’s display, making him change tact and leap up into the much taller man’s arms. Dorian caught him, lifting him into the air and pressing kisses against his surprisingly ticklish stomach.

“I told you,” Niki giggled, “That I did gymnastics, didn’t you believe me?”

“Oh no, I believed you,” Dorian replied, “I just didn’t expect you to be quite that _sensational_. Gods you were wasted in that tree. Why did they hide you from us for so long sweetheart? That talent, that grace, those_ thighs_…”

Dorian held him out before him as Niki tried to wiggle playfully out of the grip on his waist. He felt like he was being appraised like a priest might hold out a precious wood-carving to the light.

“Never hide this under robes again,” Dorian stated, “Never, do you hear me?”

“Yes Master,” Niki simpered, though he was grinning broadly. The bloodwitch’s gaze was transfixed on the movements of his body, as if he was now the one hypnotised by the looks of the person before him. 

“Though I never intended to hide,” Niki assured him, “Not from you Master Dorian.”

There was a loud cough from somewhere behind them. Antonio was pushing his way through the crowd, looking awkward yet determined.

“We-we don’t have any vacancies in our troop at the moment,” he blustered, causing a ripple of disappointed murmurs and cries to pass around the assembled performers.

“We just hired a fresh batch of new blood my Lord. The elf is undoubtedly talented but after…after what happened with your_ last few pets_ we’re not taking anymore.”

Dorian sighed.

“Antonio, Antonio, how you disappoint me so often.”

Antonio took a step back as if suddenly burned.

“It’s your loss dear Antonio. Though I’m beginning to wonder if this beauty deserves a much finer establishment than this old ruin.”

Antonio’s glasses slipped down his nose as he sweated in the stage lighting. Niki was too busy swooning at being called a beauty to care about the demon’s nerves. He let himself be carried bridal style back out the theatre and into a club down the road. As the evening approached, a queue had obviously formed outside of the venue. Large ogres with wrought iron sleeves paced the lines to stop people jumping in, pulling rowdy sorts out by the shirts and casting them onto the pavement. Yet as Dorian approached, they paid him no attention. He strode past the bustling queue and towards the pair of intimidating looking women guarding the door. They were dressed up like harlequins, wearing far more ornate outfits than any of the performers in the theatre. Each one had a wrought iron spear, the tips of which dripped blood onto the carpet by their feet. At the sight of Dorian, they instantly got out of the way, giving twin bows as Dorian carried Niki straight through the doors, much to the protests of the waiting crowd.

Once inside, Niki was beset by a cavalcade of sound. Dorian set him on his feet before leading him around a long thin balcony, overlooking what Niki could only describe as a pit full of churning bodies. Grinding and gyrating, the dance floor was so packed that the occupants grazed each other on their barbed outfits. The floor beneath their feet was spotted with blood and coloured lighting, thrumming with the rhythm of the music. Niki glimpsed a trio of musicians, crammed into a corner, playing with their heads banging at the intense beat they had summoned. High above the writhing crowd, almost nude figures in black iron cages swivelled their hips and clawed at the bars like caged beasts. Their translucent garments leaving nothing to the imagination as they thrust themselves against their bonds. The very air itself was thick with smoke, sweat and musk. It was a new scent to Niki but one that spoke of nothing but freedom and sensuality. He followed Dorian up a set of spiral stairs and through a gate marked ‘Important Persons Only’. Two corners and a short length of corridor led them to a wide balcony containing two overly stuffed sofas that overlooked the club-goers below.

“Well isn’t that a sight?” said Dorian, offering Niki a hand and pulling him up to the railing. Niki stared down at the rapturous faces in the pit below. Watched inhibitions drop and passion run wild as total strangers wove about each other, arm in arm, cheek to cheek. The speed was almost dizzying to watch, the crowd having worked themselves up into such a frenzy that such small matters as rhythm or synchronicity had long been abandoned. Everyone was free to grab a partner and revel in the music. It was another world compared the formal dinners, music recitals and parades at home.

“They’re all so _ecstatic_.”

Ecstasy was certainly one way to describe the wide grins and glassy eyed stairs. It looked like the music had driven them mindless with joy. The musicians had them on a beat, the dancers had them hypnotised.

“How do you think they feel?” Dorian asked, pointing at the musical trio, “Or any of them?”

He pointed up at the dancers. Now they were on the balcony, the caged performers were much closer at hand. Niki was sure if he reached out he could touch the gyrating man, fondling himself in the closest cage. The dancers did nothing but heighten the atmosphere of sheer passion in this place. The musicians were like monarchs before their subjects, the crowds before them obeying their every whim. This was appreciation. Praise in its highest form. Imagine changing someone’s entire mind with your art!

“Amazing,” Niki gasped, eyes flickering from enraptured face to enraptured face. He shuddered at the idea of driving someone so wild with his dancing that they would abandon decency entirely. There was no order here, no set routine, no performance clock, it was just art. Art thrown about with such wild abandon.

The man in the closest cage was watching them through lidded eyes, canting his hips in time with the beat as the spikes about his ankles rattled against the bars. Dorian paid him no mind, sidling behind Niki and using their entwined fingers to pull him close, flush against the rippling muscle of his abdomen. Niki shivered as the hands moved to wrap around his waist, pressing his barely-covered ass against hard planes of muscle and something certainly much harder than that. It occurred to Niki that Master Dorian hadn’t been able to come at their meeting in the Dead Reveler. He must have been walking around all this time, all through the theatre, with the lingering sensation of Niki’s grinding against his cock. As the music shifted into something a little slower but far more sensual, the movements in the cages around them slowed too. Niki ground his hips back, mimicking the gyrations of the dancers around them. Dorian let out a small groan in the back of his throat.

“Master, do you know what else would be amazing?” Niki tried, reaching up the best he could to wrap his arms around the much taller man’s neck. The action brought him to the tips of his toes but Dorian was swift put an arm under his thighs, lifting him with ease.

“What would that be sweetheart?”

Niki purred as he felt the man’s hips shudder beneath his ministrations.

“Let me entertain _you,”_ he replied, pressing down on that bulge with deliberate force. “Please Master, let me show you what I’m _really_ good at. Let me taste your cock.”

“So demanding,” Dorian teased, “You’re the sluttiest little Selesnyan I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet.”

He began to grind back against Niki, hard leather against soft thighs. Niki would not leave this club until he’d seen what was underneath.

“Hmm,” he agreed, “Me too.”

Dorian chuckled, the chains across his chest catching in the lace of Niki’s shirt.

“_You’re_ the sluttiest little Selesnyan you’ve ever met?”

“Yes,” Niki gasped, feeling one hand on his thigh migrate to his ass, “Not Selesnyan anymore though.”

Dorian’s laughter only served to arouse Niki further. It had only been a few hours since the Dead Reveler but there was something about this man that sent his imagination running wild and his blood rushing south.

“Well, you’d better give me a demonstration,” he said, “So I can see if you’re remotely slutty enough for the Rakdos.”

“Oh _yes_ Master…” 

Finally! Dorian deposited him on one of the sofas where he swiftly clambered off and knelt upon the floor. Dorian sat on the grimy cushions like a king upon his throne, spreading his legs as Niki considered, of all the people he’d kneeled in front of recently, this one certainly gave him the best view. He marvelled at how small his hand looked on Dorian’s thigh as he made short work of the laces barely keeping the man under control. Niki couldn’t stop the moan that burst forth from his throat as he shoved laces and leather out of the way.

“Oh, you’re so _big…”_

He’d anticipated this, but finally seeing the object of his desire was another matter entirely. He’d admired the Azorius Ambassador last night, but gods, he was being spoiled right now. A little drool escaped as his mouth pre-emptively watered at the thought of wrapping his lips around _that_. Both hands about Dorian’s length, he couldn’t help himself. He leaned forward to press reverent kisses across the head, tiny butterfly touches of his lips that had the man’s breath hitching above him. Niki licked his lips before taking a taste of just the tip, moaning as he was reminded of the gloriously rebellious flavour of another man’s cock.

“You just going to tease me sweetheart?”

Niki smirked and replied the best way he knew how. A single deep breath and he descended. Wrapping his lips about the impressive girth, he took the head into his mouth with a practiced motion that left Dorian spluttering in shock. The stretch was unbelievable, his lips were going to ache but he’d never let that dissuade him. With just enough movement to continue his tasting, he licked little swipes across the throbbing cock. Just as it looked like Dorian had got his breathing under control, he slid down another inch, applying wet suction as his tongue guided the length down his throat.

“Fuck.”

Niki managed to laugh with his mouth full, the vibration was enough to have Dorian groaning in pleasure. He found a vein on the underside that had his master clenching his thighs and moaning low in his throat. Confident with what he’d managed so far, Niki traced that vein right back to the head with his tongue, teasing the glistening tip before diving back down for more.

“Sw-Sweetheart,” Dorian panted, “Sweetheart, Niki… Fuck.”

Niki moaned in acknowledgement, feeling himself harden as he teased his name out of the bloodwitch’s mouth. Ask any handsome ambassador or lusty knight, at this Niki was a master. If the World-Soul didn’t want him sucking cock, then it shouldn’t have let him be so damn good at it. Or at least given him a gag reflex. As it was, the chorus of curses coming from his partner were the sweetest music of all. He sucked and swallowed, breathing hard through his nose as he picked up the tune from the pit below. Humming his own little accompaniment, he had Dorian crying his name, one large hand grasping at his curls whilst another brushed at his cheek, feeling just how full his mouth was, how his cheeks stretched in order to fit the man’s girth.

His throat burning, Niki fixed his gaze on the thick patch of hair peeking out from the mess of sweat and laces. Another deep breath and he buried his nose in that musky scent, finally silenced by the sheer amount of cock he had inside of him. Throat working furiously about the invader, his eyes met Dorian’s, twinkling in joy as he watched the witch come undone. Dorian now had one hand clenched in the sofa cushions as he was forced to steady himself, gasping and moaning as Niki relished in the precum filling what little space there was left in his mouth.

“Niki, fucking, what the… hellfire and pitch, this is not… I didn't... wow this is…”

Niki waited until Dorian had summoned some sense of coherence.

Then he swallowed.

**“Niki!”**

The music quietened a little downstairs as Dorian shouted his name for the entire club to hear. Niki let out a high-pitched whine that came out more like a gurgle as Dorian came thick and fast down his throat. He moaned, swallowing as he rubbed his free hand over the tent in his own shorts as he made sure to catch every last drop. Even as Dorian tried to withdraw, Niki made sure to clean him up with his tongue, leaving him glistening yet free of cum when he finally tucked himself back into his trousers.

Taking deep breaths, Dorian fastened his laces, glancing at the man in the closest cage, who had clearly watched the proceedings with mouth wide open. Niki couldn’t bring himself to care. His throat hurt, the corners of his lips ached, he could taste nothing but Dorian but that was exactly what he wanted.

“Did that please you Master?” his voice was a little gravelly, but it didn’t seem to dissuade Dorian from lifting him straight off the floor and into his arms.

“Of course that pleased me you gods-damn minx.” He kissed Niki, surely tasting himself on his lips and tongue.

“You’re such a good boy, taking your Master’s cock right down your slutty throat. What do good boys get?”

“To come?” Niki said hopefully, his shorts not as well-fitting as they had been in that storage room.

Dorian laughed, taking a hand full of ass as Niki straddled his thigh.

“They do indeed. But first, they get drinks.”


	3. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dorian reveals his true colours. Niki comes up with a plan. 
> 
> [Warning for Dubious Consent in this chapter and mentions of kidnapping, murder and substance abuse.]

Firstly, there was a bar. Dark like all the others and filled with the sounds of talking. Then there was another bar, louder this time, with a five piece band and a giant statue of Lord Rakdos looming over the stage. Niki was swiftly losing track of the names of the cocktails he was drinking. They were all sweet and Dorian paid for every single one. By the third glass of a strangely pink concoction, Niki forgot he had been promised an orgasm and was instead sat on Dorian’s lap, watching the firelight burning in the stone Rakdos’ eyes. He’d just started wondering what the drink actually consisted of, when he was whisked away to yet another bar. This one had a rooftop garden full of spiky plants, a pool full of what he hoped was water with food colouring in it, and a games table occupied entirely by squabbling devils.

“Wh-Why do we keep moving Master?” he asked, his words slurring as he was presented with a much smaller drink this time. It was white with some sort of flakes or powder in it. It kind of looked like snow. He drank it. It tasted…tingly.

“I-I liked all the bars.”

“Got to show you everything this neighbourhood has to offer,” Dorian replied. He'd had just as many drinks as Niki but he still sounded perfectly sober. He pointed at the games table, which was swiftly turning into a miniature war zone as the devils squabbled about who cheated first.

“I’d take you to the circus, but I’m afraid you’d try and leap up and join them.”

“I wouldn’t,” Niki hiccuped, “I’m-I’m a very good boy.”

He felt himself flush as the white drink seemed to warm him up from the inside out. He suddenly felt very relaxed, whatever tension there had been his shoulders unwinding as he rested against the bloodwitch’s chest.

“You are,” Dorian said affectionately, “But once you join us, you’ll get to see all the circuses you want. For now, let’s enjoy some time to ourselves, shall we?”

“M’already enjoying myself,” Niki murmured, watching as one devil ripped off another’s tail and started to beat the one next to it with the bloody limb. It was gory and horrible but somehow he couldn’t bring himself to care. Not when he was so warm and sleepy. Not when he had such a gorgeous man as a chair. The heat was travelling pleasantly around his body, like submerging into a warm bath. Did he mention he was tired? He was tired.

“Are you enjoying you-self Master?” He looked up to a run a hand through Dorian’s neatly groomed facial hair. He kissed Niki’s hand, making him squeak.

“I’m enjoy myself immensely sweetheart,” he said, “Though I think _someone_ is getting a bit drunk.”

“You keep buying me _all_ the drinks,” Niki reminded him, “’s your fault I’m drunk.”

“Oh how terrible of me,” Dorian drawled, “What a terrible Master I must be.”

“No!” Niki protested, trying to sit up a little straighter but failing miserably, “You-you’re the best. I want to thank... I-I want to-to…want to do something to thank...”

“Of course you do,” Dorian assured him, “And Master says it’s time we found a bed for the night. I think that’s sensible, don’t you?”

“Y-Yes Master.”

Niki tried to get to his feet and failed miserably. He then tried to jump, hoping the extra lift would get him upright. However, his body wasn’t cooperating. He focused on putting one foot on the tiles and then another, wobbling back and forth as his dancer’s balance failed him.

“I-I am very drunk,” he concluded. Dorian merely laughed.

“Don’t worry, we’re not going far.”

Dorian helped him with his feet, one arm about his shoulders, the other ready to catch him if he fell. They took a lift down the side of the building to get back outside and crossed the street towards a large brick building that was positively bursting with visitors. Niki squinted at the sign, The Shattered Signet. Weird name. Not very Rakdos-y. Whatever the case, Dorian helped him inside and straight up to what looked like a small part of the bar designated as a reception desk. The elf behind the counter rolled his eyes as they approached. He didn’t look very Rakdos-y either. Also he was an elf, but not the same kind of elf that Niki was. What did you call that?

“Evening Master Dorian,” said the other-elf, his greeting laced with a sigh.

“Evening Kay, one room please.”

“Yes Master Dorian.”

The elf turned and picked up a key off the hook behind him.

“Follow me.”

They were led through a locked door and down a side passage lined with brightly painted doors. Niki couldn’t help but stare at Kay, who looked like he was walking to his own death sentence. His face was impassive, but elves had their own set of body language in how they walked, how they held their arms, and in the positioning of their ears. The elf’s ears were thoroughly depressed, as low as he could point them as he slowly led them down the narrow corridor. He had one arm wrapped about himself, almost as if he was protecting his torso from attack. Even though his alcohol-induced haze, Niki couldn’t help but think his slow pace was entirely deliberate. What was wrong?

“Here you are Master Dorian.” Kay unlocked the door to the room at the far end of the corridor before handing them the key.

“I trust you’ll be wanting the usual.”

“Of course,” Dorian replied, “Night, Kay.”

“Night Master Dorian.” Kay sighed before slowly making his way back up the corridor.

The room was a simple affair. A large bed, easily big enough to accommodate three people, framed by two small night stands and a large leather bound chest at the foot of the bed. To one side was a wash basin, set into a wooden dresser with three deep drawers. There was a small towel on a rail beside the basin. Niki only had a moment to consider what a strange shade of blue it was, when suddenly Dorian was kissing him, distracting him entirely. Arms around Dorian’s shoulders, a little leap had him clinging on with both legs wrapped about Dorian’s thighs. He moaned loudly as that familiar two-handed grip returned to his ass. Hips jerking as Dorian kissed him breathless.

The next thing he knew he was on the bed, utterly caged in by his master’s immensity. Boxed in by broad arms and muscular thighs, he keened as Dorian made light work of his lace shirt, tossing it somewhere to one side. He tried to wrap his legs around him once more, but ended up flailing uselessly as Dorian pulled him into another kiss, somehow even hotter and more demanding than before. Niki gave up on clinging with his legs, letting his knees spread as Dorian kissed him until he gasped for air. As he panted, Niki reached up to grab the man by his horned headdress, pull him down for another kiss. But Dorian caught both wrists with one large hand and pinned them to the headboard, making Niki shudder and moan at the clear display of dominance.

“You keep those there,” Dorian growled, “You’ll do as I say, nothing more. Understand?”

“Yes Master, please Master.” Niki wrapped his fingers around the wooden bars that made up the headboard. Seemingly satisfied by this, Dorian let go and started to lay open mouthed kisses along Niki’s throat, nipping and sucking. Pain laced with pleasure, making Niki thrust hopelessly into open air, silently begging him for something, anything more. One of Dorian’s fingers was tracing the scattering of freckles on his shoulder, following the trail down to one pink nipple before pinching, hard.

“Master!”

Dorian smirked, rolling the bud between thumb and forefinger as his other hand traced the slight curves of Niki’s body. He tugged a little, making Niki’s hips snap upwards as he moaned, writhing against the sheets. Niki couldn’t stop the chorus of whimpers and cries that escaped his kiss-swollen lips. Everything was so good, so much, even when it hurt, even when Dorian bit down on his neglected nipple before soothing it with his tongue… Gods, it was like nothing he’d done before. He’d thought dirty fumbles down Hazelnut Passage were hot, but this? This was paradise.

“Ah!”

He was brought back to the here and now by just how sore his nipples had become from Dorian’s teeth. He arched his chest into the wet suction that was swiftly driving him mindless.

“Oh Master! Master please!”

The hand holding his hip lifted him just enough for the other to wiggle his shorts off. Niki let out a sigh of relief as he brought his legs together just long enough for the garment to be discarded, before Dorian pulled his thighs apart once more. He was bare now, except for his stockings and his collar. He wasn’t sure where his gloves had gone, probably in some bar somewhere, but he couldn’t bring himself to care as Dorian admired his body, so pale and hairless compared to his own.

“Now aren’t you adorable?”

Niki let out a small scream as Dorian wrapped one hand about his cock.

“Look how perfect you are sweetheart,” Dorian continued, “Like you were made to fit in one hand. Bet you could come just from fucking my fist.”

Niki whimpered, the pressure about his cock so much it had rent him speechless.

“But what would the fun in that be?” Dorian asked, “Good boys don’t come until their masters tell them to, isn’t that right?”

His grin was wicked as Niki moaned, aroused at his orderm but also desperately hoping that he wouldn’t make him wait long.

Dorian kept one hand on his cock as he continued his path of kisses and small bites. He didn’t toy with him, he didn’t move a single finger, just kept up the pressure as Niki twitched and writhed under his ministrations. Niki willed himself to last. Not to come until he had his Master’s permission. But Dorian was making that so difficult for him, with his nails digging into Niki’s thighs, leaving angry red marks about his hips that were sure to leave bruises.

And then suddenly, Dorian let go. Niki watched, wide-eyed and confused as he began to rummage around in pockets that Niki had never realised he had.

“M-Master?” he asked, confusion creeping in through the euphoria.

“Don’t worry sweetheart, I’m way too big to take you dry.”

That only confused Niki further. Dorian produced a small black bottle, tugging the cap off with a single jerk of his wrist. Niki caught a whiff of something that smelt a bit like soap as Dorian put it down on the bedpost. He then grinned at Niki, finally shucking off those leather trousers, and revealing himself in all his sweat-slicked glory.

Niki screwed his eyes shut as he willed himself not to come. He could hear Dorian laughing and soon the grip on his cock returned, slick with precum as Niki willed back orgasm with all his might.

“Such a good boy,” Dorian praised, making Niki shiver with joy, “Such an obedient little thing.”

Niki heard him move, the pressure vanish and suddenly the soapy smell was back. He cracked one eye open to see that Dorian was covering his fingers with a drippy clear substance. He managed to focus his gaze, both eyes staring as he wondered what Dorian was doing. His confusion must have been evident for when Dorian set the bottle down, he raised an eyebrow at him.

“Nervous?” he asked.

Niki shook his head. Not at all! But…what was the bottle for?

“Good.”

Dorian knelt on the covers, giving Niki’s ruddy cock another affectionate squeeze before parting his quivering thighs. Niki let out a little gasp as he grabbed one of the pillows by Niki’s head and shoved it under his hips, leaving the lower half of his body on elevated display.

“You’re so fucking gorgeous,” Dorian crooned, “Can’t wait to be inside that slutty little hole of yours. Open it up with a real man’s cock, get you screaming as I fuck you senseless.”

The surge of arousal at his words was undeniable, but so many of them didn’t make sense. It sounded like his master wanted to be inside of him but…but he wasn’t anywhere near his mouth. Hadn’t he already been opened up on Dorian’s cock? He was more than willing to do it again but, it sounded like –

Niki yelped as he felt a large slick finger prod at his hole. Now it was Dorian’s turn to look confused, but his surprise swiftly turned into delight as he lowered himself between Niki’s thighs, tracing circles about his hole as Niki whimpered in a mixture of lust and bewilderment.

“Oh don’t tell me,” Dorian drawled. He began to laugh, his merriment somehow deeper this time, rumbling with joy, until it became so intense that that the laughter sounded almost cruel. He sat up before leaning over Niki, once again trapping him with his sheer size and weight.

“Has anyone ever used that gorgeous little ass of yours?”

Niki blinked up at him, shaking his head, a sinking feeling cutting through the arousal. A terrible thought that he might have done something wrong.

“Ever toyed with yourself? Spread yourself open with those little fingers and rubbed yourself silly?”

Niki shook his head. Spread himself open with…? In his ass?

Dorian was laughing so hard that Niki was instantly terrified that he’d messed this all up.

“M-Master I’m sorry,” he stammered, “I-I didn’t mean to disappoint you I swear.”

Dorian stopped laughing, He merely smiled down at Niki, his eyes dark with lust, his grin ecstatic.

“Oh no sweetheart, I’m not disappointed.” He pressed a kiss to Niki’s cheek before running both hands down Niki’s body, sliding back between his thighs.

“I’m the luckiest man alive,” Dorian stated, “Because I’m going to be the first and _only_ man to fuck you senseless.”

Whatever that meant, Niki wanted it, bad. He spread his thighs further as Dorian pressed one slick finger to his entrance, the other hand coming up to toy with the tip of his cock, sending twin shocks of pain and pleasure through Niki’s body. He let out a little cry as he felt the tip of the finger breach him, but was swiftly distracted by skilled fingers on his very sensitive arousal. Niki could feel the muscles in his ass try to weakly push at the intruder, but he was too limp, too relaxed, to put up much of a fight. It occurred to him that maybe, maybe that was what the drink was for. Yet, soon all logic left him as Dorian’s long finger brushed up against something inside him that made him scream and spurt over his master’s palm.

“Found it,” Dorian chuckled, “You see this, sweetheart, is why you should be paying more attention to this beautiful ass of yours. You can feel like _this._”

Niki let out a babbling moan as he gently rubbed against whatever it was inside him that made his nerves feel like they were on fire. He couldn’t stop himself as he pushed against the finger inside of him, wanting more of that. More of whatever Dorian could give him. The finger withdrew however, making Niki whine and wiggle his hips. He’d just tasted pleasure like he’d never known before. Why was his Master taking that away from him?

And then another slick finger joined the first.

“I thought you were the sluttiest Selesnyan?” Dorian taunted as he pushed two fingers now into Niki’s twitching hole

Niki tried to speak, but all that came out was a long moan. The stretch of two fingers inside his hole was producing delicious little sparks of pain, making his thighs flinch and his ass tighten against the invaders.

“Or do you just have the mouth of a whore and ass of a virgin?” Dorian continued, “Whatever the case, let’s make sure both are ready for my cock.”

He was going put his… His huge… Niki clenched his hands about the bedposts, his head thrown back as the two fingers brushed against that miraculous place inside of him.

“M-Master!” he begged. He wasn’t going to last if Dorian kept touching that spot. 

“Not yet sweetheart,” Dorian reminded him, “You’re being such a good boy, waiting for my say-so.”

Niki felt the two fingers stretch his rim and suddenly there was a third, a third long finger penetrating his insides. The stretch was unbelievable, the strange weight in his ass was making his thighs quiver in arousal. He could only imagine what would happen when those fingers were replaced with cock, all that force pushing into the place that made him see stars.

Four fingers inside him and Niki was pushing back in earnest.

“Master! Master please!” There was so much inside him and all he wanted to do was come!

“What do you want Niki?”

Somehow hearing his name made this even more intense.

“I-I want to come Master!” he cried, “Please, please let me come. I-I need it so bad…”

Dorian’s large thumb rubbed at the head of his cock as four fingers slowly thrust in and out of his hole.

“Master! Master I-I beg you. P-Please-“

“Then come.”

One brush against that place and Niki screamed, writhing on Dorian’s fingers as he painted his own chest with his cum. His whole body shook at the force of the pleasure that had been mounting up inside him. His cock twitched in Dorian’s hand as he spurted all over himself, wailing for the whole inn to hear.

That seemed to be all the encouragement Dorian needed. He withdrew his fingers, waited for Niki to catch his breath, before seizing his legs, folding him almost in half. Bent so far, his knees were now level with his shoulders, his ass lifted off the covers and towards Dorian’s leaking cock. Something about a gymnast’s flexibility crossed Niki’s mind as he was ordered to hold onto his thighs. He grasped them with sweaty hands as he curled in on himself, presenting his glistening hole still clenching from his orgasm.

Then Dorian started pushing into him and his mind went blank. Four fingers were a lot. Dorian’s cock was another beast entirely. His nails dug into the soft skin of his thighs, his knees shook, his head fell back, panting, tongue lolling over his lips as he relished in the enormous stretch now pushing its way through his insides. Perhaps, if he hadn’t had all those fingers, if he hadn’t come, his body would have fought against the immensity of it. But he felt like he’d melted into oversensitised goo, allowing Dorian to push him to his very limits. Even Dorian seemed to be struggling to stuff himself all in. His eyes had fallen shut, his grip on Niki’s legs was incredibly tight as he muttered to himself:

“So fucking tight, so fucking…gods, going to…_fuck_.”

Niki couldn’t do words right now. He couldn’t do anything but hold onto himself for dear life and hope Dorian wouldn’t crush his folded body with his movement. The weight in his ass was only growing larger, for all the oil Dorian had covered himself with, there was barely any room for movement. Dorian withdrew a little, covered himself in yet more oil, before pushing in a little deeper, making Niki sob as he felt slick friction against the spot that gave him such pleasure. There were tears leaking from his eyes now as his cock, still sore and limp, twitched from renewed interest.

“Good boy,” Dorian was murmuring, “Such a good boy, we’re halfway, you can do it…”

Halfway? Niki whined as Dorian pushed a little harder at his legs, pushing his ass up, another inch slipping into him as he wondered how there could be possibly enough room. Was this going to damage him on the inside?

He felt more oil dripping across his upturned rear, cool against his entrance in a way that had him moaning for more. Dorian obliged before returning his now very slippy hand to Niki's leg.

“Ready Niki?”

Ready for what?

Dorian pulled out a little and then entered with one mighty thrust. Niki screamed as he felt himself filled to the core. Dorian’s heavy sack collided with his ass cheeks as the cock inside him throbbed, letting him know just how hot and heavy the invader was. Dorian took deep breaths, bracing himself as he hadn’t been quite prepared for the sensation of being so deep inside. He touched the tender skin where Niki’s ass clenched around his cock, moaning low in his throat as Niki let out a little whimper and something resembling

“_Master…”_

Dorian chuckled, nails digging into Niki’s legs as he appeared to gather his bearings.

“Look at this sweetheart,” he teased, “Look how your needy little hole is just swallowing me up.”

Niki couldn’t look but he moaned at the praise nevertheless.

“It’s so lovely and tight, I think you deserve a reward,” Dorian continued, “How about…for the rest of the night, you can come however much you want, whenever you want. In fact, I expect it.”

And with that he withdrew halfway, before thrusting back inside, hard.

Niki was beyond anything except moans and screams for the rest of the night. Dorian swiftly made good on his promise to fuck him senseless, for Niki had no idea how many times he came, or how many times Dorian had come inside him, or just how long they went at it for. Once inside, Dorian didn’t seem to want to leave. His pace was fast and brutal. The power in his muscular frame all too evident as he nailed Niki into the mattress, shooting his cum deep into the sobbing elf as he was dragged through orgasm after orgasm. On more than one occasion, Dorian didn’t even bother pulling out. He lay with Niki dozing in his arms right up until the point he was hard enough to keep fucking him. Niki swung in and out of consciousness, passing out with every release forced from his bruised and battered body, only to wake up to find that Dorian was inside him again. In his ass, in his mouth, painting strips of cum over his face and chest, there didn’t seem to be a limit to his energy or his lust. He sucked on Niki’s sore red nipples as he rutted between his thighs, hands on Niki’s face as his cock twitched, spent and abused against his stomach. Niki passed out, crushed against the covers, with no idea who or where he was, just that every inch of him was being used for his master’s pleasure. And really, what purpose did it have apart for that?

* * *

Niki awoke to the sound of knocking on the door. It took a moment for his body to rouse itself, before suddenly he was beset with pain. He cried out in agony, his throat searing as he rolled onto his side, feeling like someone had ripped his ass in two. His legs were in such pain they refused to move, twitching and throbbing, but otherwise motionless against the filthy sheets. Niki felt tears well in his eyes as he realised he couldn’t move without subjecting himself to utmost torment. He felt sticky, all over. To his mounting horror he realised that the substances covering his naked form were most definitely cum and blood. It was on his chest, his stomach, his thighs, his face, his hair was covered in it! There was a bite mark on his shoulder he couldn’t remember getting. Dried blood coated his shoulder, the teeth marks still very visible. There was blood on the sheets, far too much blood, cuts on his shoulders, his neck, blood on his thighs, blood on-on… oh gods his ass was still bleeding.

“Help!” he croaked at whoever was at the door, “Help…please.”

There was a loud click and the door opened. It was the elf from yesterday. The one who had led them to their room. What was his name? Jay? May? Kay! He was looking at Niki with so much pity in his eyes, he had begun to cry himself. He closed the door behind him and hurried over to the washbasin at the side of the room. He waved his hand over the metal bowl and suddenly water started flowing from his fingertips. Niki watched on with wide eyes as he started pulling bottles out of the drawers beneath the basin. They were all labelled with such things as ‘wound disinfectant’, ‘scar relief cream’, ‘pain relief gel’. What? Why would they already be in here?

“Mr Kay?” he cried, “Mr Kay, where’s…”

It had suddenly occurred to him that Dorian was nowhere to be seen.

“It’s going to be fine,” Kay told him, keeping his voice as level as possible, wiping his tears on his shirt sleeves, “You’re going to be fine. Look at me. I’m fine. You’re going to get through this.”

Niki blinked at him as he approached with the wash basin and an armful of bottles. He set them down on the night stand and went to pick up the blue towel.

“Where’s…where’s Master Dorian?” Niki asked tremulously. Kay shook his head.

“He’s gone,” he replied, “You, you probably won’t see him again. I didn’t. Not-not until I ended up working at this place.”

Gone? But… but… Niki looked down at his trembling form. Dorian had done this to him. Dorian was responsible for all of this. But he’d just vanished? No note? No nothing?

“May I touch you?” asked Kay, “I’m not going to hurt you. I’m a trainee medic. I’m with the Simic.”

He nodded, even as he looked around for some sign as to where Dorian might be. How could he just leave? What did Kay mean? Gone? Won’t see him again? But what about all of yesterday? It was during his search that he realised Kay had a bag with him – a bursting satchel full of yet more bottles, cloths and, for some reason, bandages. Guess he really was a medic, but why had he been so prepared for this?

“Ok,” said Kay, taking deep breaths through his tears, “First, you’re going to want to drink this. It’ll hydrate you, and take an edge of all the pain you’re feeling.”

He took a waterskin out of his bag and passed it to Niki. Niki unscrewed the top and took a slow mouthful, not wanting up upset his throat even more.

“Drink as much as you want,” Kay told him, “I’ve got two more skins on me. Take it if you feel you need it. It’s mostly water, but with a little pain relief thrown in.”

It tasted just like water. He sipped at it as Kay took out a bundle of cloths and put them on the nightstand.

“Ok, tell me if it’s too much,” he said, “But I’m going to need to clean you up to see what’s dried, what’s bruised and what’s currently bleeding. If you’re feeling strong enough, you can help.”

Niki tried to help, but moving still felt like torture. Kay seemed to have expected this for he diligently set to work, gently wiping away sweat, blood and cum with an air that was nothing but professional. As he worked, he gave Niki little assurances that everything was fine, everything would get better, that he’d be able to move on after this and everything would work out ok. He threw soiled cloths into a basket he pulled out of the dresser. Every time the water in the basin became too dirty to use, he simply waved his hand over it and it suddenly became crystal clear. Niki watched in amazement every time this happened until Kay finally explained that it was a simple filtration spell he’d learned in his medical training, to make sure there was always clean water on hand to treat his patients with.

After his body was cleaned up, Kay gave Niki a lotion he could use in his hair. He helped him sit up against the cushions and let him rub the floral ointment into his curls as he started applying yet more unction to the bruises and cuts on Niki’s hips.

“How old are you Niki?” he asked, as he gently applied salve to Niki’s nipples, making him flinch but try to hold himself still. Kay hummed a little, his fingertips glowing blue as the broken skin on his chest healed over, raw, but whole.

“Eighty-five,” Niki replied. Kay sighed loudly.

“Gods, not even an adult yet… That bastard.”

“I’m an adult!” Niki protested. Kay shook his head.

“No, you think you’re an adult,” he replied, “You may be a Selesnyan rather than Simic, but it’s the same for both of us. Adulthood doesn’t come with a number, it comes with experience. Experience of the outside world, and knowing what to do when danger comes calling.”

“I don’t think my parents were ever going to let me do that,” Niki mumbled, taking a sip of painkiller-water, “They never let me leave the tree, let alone make my own decisions.”

“That…explains a lot,” said Kay sadly, “Well, you’re old enough to join the “We survived Master Dorian” club at least.”

“How many are in the club?” Niki asked, fairly sure he was being sarcastic.

“Two,” Kay replied, “You, and me. Now, I’m sorry, but please let me look at your behind.”

He was with Kay for hours. He had to call in another medic to look at Niki’s torn insides and between them, put some kind of potion inside of him and do a weird chant. By the time he was done, the pain was gone, but he was a complete mess of bandages and discoloured bruising.

“That’s the best we can do for you,” said Kay, nodding gratefully to his colleague as he left.

“You should be able to get up and about. I can send you off with a bottle of water and some painkillers for when the first lot wears off. I would suggest going back to your tree, but… after everything you’ve said about your parents, maybe not.”

Kay had tried to distract him with conversation as he’d looked at some of his more serious wounds. Speaking at length about his home situation, Niki had clearly made the Simic elf glad he was in his present guild.

“Thank you so much Mr Kay,” Niki replied, “I…don’t know how to repay you. I have gold?”

“Keep your gold,” Kay insisted, waving his coin purse off, “You’re going to need it. Just…let me know when you’ve settled some place. If I need a favour, I’ll know where to ask.”

“Of course!” Niki promised. He shakily got to his feet and offered his hand to the medic. Kay gently shook it with a smile.

“I’m…I’m really sorry you had to go through that,” Kay said, “He’s a menace, a menace that defies even the reach of the law.”

“I’m sorry you had to go through it too.” Niki had twigged by now. He understood why Mr Kay had been so miserable last night. Why he’d come to his aid this morning. What the “I survived Master Dorian” club entailed. The fact he called him Master and not Lord was very telling.

Kay smiled.

“You’re a sweet kid Niki,” he said. He started to rummage round in his bag and pulled out something wrapped in cloth.

“If you’re really going through with becoming Rakdos, I want to give you something.” He offered Niki the cloth.

“I’m a doctor, well, I will be when I’ve finished my training. I’m-I’m kind of working here for now so I can afford it. But anyway, I’m a doctor which means it’s not my place to hurt people.”

Niki took the cloth. He carefully unwrapped it to reveal a shiny steel dagger with black leather wraps around the handle. He stared at Mr Kay in awe.

“If, you see Master Dorian again,” Kay continued, “And the moment is right. Give him one from me will you? Slice, stab, slit his throat, don’t really care. I just want him to bleed.”

Niki’s eyes widened as he snapped to attention, giving Mr Kay a very elaborate Selesnyan bow.

“I will do my best Sir.”

Mr Kay laughed.

“I know you will. Good luck Niki. You know where to find me.”

With that he left Niki to get dressed and collect his things. His outfit from last night was utterly ruined, but thankfully he had two more. As he dressed, careful not to press on anything too painful, he considered what his next course of action would be. He couldn’t go home. That much was for certain. Out of everything that had happened yesterday, he had surely proved that he was capable of being a Rakdos acrobat as well as Selesnyan one. The most sensible course therefore was to start looking for work. Once he had a regular income, then he could start thinking about a new home and whatever came after that. That, however, left the question as to how Rakdos acrobats got recruited. Should he try asking some theatres? The one he saw yesterday didn’t want him, so he just had to find some other venues. There must be plenty about, but it would be a lot easier if someone just pointed them out to him. Who did he know that was Rakdos, that might know some theatres, or even some performers? Apart from Master Dorian of course. He’d seen no sign of him anywhere.

Niki pouted to himself as he left The Shattered Signet, trying to come up with any names from last night. He was sure Master Dorian had mentioned someone… wait! The Bladebrand! Master Dorian had found him because of Roxy at the Bladebrand! The tattoo artist was undoubtedly Rakdos, and she might know where Master Dorian was. Also maybe she’d done some tattoos for some performers, maybe asked them about where they worked? It was worth a shot!

The Bladebrand was a tiny sliver of a building between a clothing store and a cobbler. A bell chimed overhead as Niki went inside. It was a simple one room affair, a reception desk and a sofa at one end, the tattoo parlour at the other end, complete with chair and all the necessary apparatus. It was almost empty when he walked in, the sole occupant leaning on her desk, drawing in a wide paged sketchbook.

At the sight of him, she stood up straight, jewellery clattering as she stared at him, open mouthed.

“Holy shit, you survived.”

That wasn’t how he’d wanted to start this conversation, but sure.

“Good morning Miss Roxy,” he said “Did you expect otherwise?”

She put her pencil down. Today she was wearing a striped tunic embroidered with gold stars, and a pair of black leggings with spikes about the ankles. She wore a large amount of jewellery – pendants, bangles, anklets and a pair of earrings that looked like mini chandeliers.

“Well, yeah,” she replied, “Gods…first Dorian comes in here…now you.”

“Master Dorian was in here?!” Niki asked immediately. She winced at her own wording.

“Yeah, yeah he did. Look sweetie, let’s talk. We need to talk.” She gestured him over to the waiting sofa, pulling out a magazine that had got wedged down the side. As he sat, she checked over the tattoo she’d given him only yesterday.

“Well at least he didn’t screw that up,” she muttered under her breath.

As soon as they both sat, Niki rounded on her for answers.

“Where’s Dorian?” he asked immediately. She sighed.

“He’s gone back to Rix Maadi,” she replied, “He’ll probably be gone for about two months, and then he’ll be back in the neighbourhood again. Don’t go looking for him.”

“Because he might kill me?” Niki pressed.

She lent over, her face in her hand, her elbow on her knees.

“He’s already tried to kill you multiple times sweetie. You probably didn’t notice because you unconsciously played him every turn.”

“What do you mean?”

Roxy’s scarlet nails dug into her scalp for a moment before she sat up.

“I like you sweetie,” she said, “And it’s my damn fault that you got into this mess, so I’m going to give you the recap.”

Niki nodded eagerly, waiting for her story.

“Here’s the thing,” Roxy began, “Bloodwitches, they’re _insane._ One moment they might just seem like eccentric weirdos, the next they’re bathing in blood and throwing innocent children at their hellhounds. Even the most charming of them is a complete psychopath.”

Niki thought to interrupt her with how totally unpsychopathic Dorian had been, then he remembered what had just happened.

“And Dorian, he’s not the head honcho out of all of them, but he’s pretty high up. Speaks to Lord Rakdos they say, even Lady Exava doesn’t dare antagonise him to his face. No one knows where he started or how he got there, but he’s a sadist through and though. He loves pain and most all he loves control. Controlling people. Using their base desires against them. Everything is about control for him, control, control, control.”

She fisted one hand in her leggings.

“So when he’s feeling horny, he goes out and finds the most innocent looking stranger he can,” she continued, “Always male, obviously. But he purposefully picks on the lost ones, the drunk ones, the addicts, the blushing virgins. He takes them on a wild adventure through clubs and circuses, most of them don’t make it to the evening.”

“We never went to any circuses,” Niki pointed out.

“I’m getting to that,” Roxy reminded him, “Just describing the norm first, then we get to you.”

Niki nodded.

“If they survive the clubs, the circuses, the shows, then he takes them to that guildless inn down on Butchers’ Street – The Shattered Signet. It looks Guildless, but the owners play racket money to the Rakdos to make sure they don’t tear the place down at night. Anyway, Dorian takes his victim there, gets them plenty drunk and horny and then fucks them until they bleed out, suffocate, or just lose the will to live. The Shattered Signet dumps the bodies for him, and he goes on home satisfied.”

Niki had gone through a whole parade of emotions as she spoke. First disbelief, then acceptance, then fear, then disgust, and now his mind had settled on anger.

“So he _was _just going to let me bleed out there!” he exclaimed. Roxy nodded.

“Yeah, he’s a bastard, but a powerful bastard unfortunately.”

“So why did you point me out to him?” Niki demanded, unable to keep the accusation out of his voice. Roxy visibly flinched, but her tone rose to match his.

“Because with every guy I show him, that’s one night less he spends hunting my little brother!”

Niki instantly felt terrible.

“I’m sorry Miss Roxy, I-“

“No no,” she interrupted, “You’re right to be mad. I’m mad. At myself. I fucking hate it. But Dorian’s been interested in Neil for so long now… makes snide little comments every time he visits. I thought Neil would be safe at his new job with the Boros but, I’m just not sure anymore. If I can just distract Dorian long enough, maybe he’ll forget Neil ever existed. Just like he forgets all those poor men. I’d never forgive myself if anything happened to Neil but… well, I can’t forgive myself for this either.”

“I understand,” Niki said, “It’s family.” He was still mad but utterly unable to direct that anger at her. If you had family who loved you, of course you would want to protect them no matter what.

Roxy smiled at him.

“You’re a sweetie Niki, thank you. I’m glad you made it.”

“Mr Kay made it too,” he told her. She frowned.

“Who’s Mr Kay?” she asked.

Niki told her about Mr Kay at The Shattered Signet. By the time he got to describing the elf, her eyes widened in recognition.

“Holy shit, I think he was, what, three years ago?” she said, “That poor guy, gods…what have I done?”

Niki hesitated for a moment before giving her a light hug. She returned it gratefully.

“Does Mr Neil know what you’ve been doing?” he asked softly. She shook her head into his shoulder.

“Maybe you should tell him,” Niki suggested, “And then he can ask his Boros friends to guard him. They’re pretty good at guarding.”

Roxy cracked a smile.

“Yeah, you’re right, I’ll…next time I see him. I’ll try.”

She shifted in her seat and took a deep breath.

“Dorian was in here earlier,” she said, “Came in here for coffee, like he always does after a conquest. He seemed pretty pleased with himself, but not as smug as he usually is. When I called him out on it, he gave me what he felt was a sorry tale.”

She lay back in her chair, eyes fixed on Niki and his tattoo.

“You heard the sorts of people Dorian likes. People without the agency to fight against him. People who’ll do whatever he says, when he says it. When he first saw you, he saw a little elf with a white robe, who was overwhelmed by his sheer presence. That was all the boxes he wanted ticked off.”

Niki couldn’t deny that.

“Then he got your story,” Roxy elaborated, “Little lost elf, running away from his terrible parents, nowhere to go. The perfect target for him, someone who wouldn’t be missed, someone the law would assume just disappeared. And then you totally turned on the tables on him.”

She laughed.

“From the sounds of it, you were as horny as hell and twice as hot. You weren’t the helpless little boy he thought you were, you were an extremely thirsty young man who was ready to ride some Rakdos dick.”

Niki felt himself blush but he also couldn’t deny that.

“He was utterly turned on, but this wasn’t exactly what he wanted. He let you have your fun and then took you to theatre, in the hopes of dumping you on Antonio. That place is notoriously dangerous. They go through performers like wet tissues.”

“But Antonio didn’t want me,” Niki filled in, “And I was a capable performer.”

“Exactly,” Roxy replied, “That’s why he didn’t take you to any circuses. The guys he takes to circuses get invited to join in the show. They’re usually dead before the act is through, however you have some pretty impressive acrobatic skills I’m led to believe. You would have totally survived the high wire or the flamewheel or any of it. He couldn’t get rid of you that way, and he told me, he didn’t really know whether he wanted to. You were, as I said, really hot, and he wanted to at least fuck you before the night was through.”

Well at least something had been genuine, Niki thought. If Dorian hadn’t genuinely wanted to fuck him, the whole of yesterday would have been one big lie!

“So he took you to a club, so he could have some time to relax and come up with a new plan whilst you were distracted by the dancing. However, you didn’t let him.” 

Niki couldn’t stop the giggle that burst forth. Nice to know he’d done more than just give an incredible blow job in that club. Roxy looked at his gleeful expression and smirked.

“Yeah, I know what you did sweetie.. Once again, he wasn’t expecting his victim to be quite so horny and into it. You gave him absolutely no time to plan how to get rid of you.”

A sense of pride had settled within the anger, egging the other emotion on. If Dorian had been responsible for taking so many innocent lives, Niki was proud to have ruined his evening. Proud to have been the one to mess up all his plans, to be the one Dorian had such mixed emotions about. He must have really been stumped as to why Niki had climbed all over him. Why he wouldn’t just roll over and die. Niki had got what he wanted out of Dorian - some phenomenal sex and a new sense of purpose, and done everything he could to deny what Dorian wanted – a quick fuck and a quick disposal afterwards.

“So he got you drunk,” Roxy concluded, “And I’m fairly sure he slipped some kind of relaxant or drug in there from what I heard. Yet, the man clearly hasn’t fucked enough elves. Your kind doesn’t take toxins like humans do. That’s why my painkillers did shit all for you when you were here. Sure he got you pissed, but by the time he got you to the inn, you were as slutty and eager as ever. And now look at you, you’ve lived to tell the tale. You’re the one who got away.”

She clapped a few times as if he’d put on a grand show.

“You’re the only one I’ve heard about who threw him off guard like that. You got through his defences and made that proud man question what he was doing and what he wanted. You found his weakness, even if it was an accident. He’s not used to competent horny people and you…you blew him away, literally in one case.”

Niki giggled again. At the back of his head a plan was forming. A very stupid plan, but a plan nevertheless.

“I like you sweetie,” Roxy said again, “And I feel shitty about what I did. So I’ll make you a deal. Where do you think you’re going next?”

“I don’t know,” Niki replied honestly, “I was going to find some theatres, try and get some work, and go from there.”

She nodded, as if this was an entirely sensible course of action.

“Well, if you need a place to stay whilst you’re doing that,” she offered, “Neil’s room has been empty since he left. It’s the least I can do until you find somewhere. You don’t have to pay rent until you’ve got yourself a job, but, well, if you need a bit of extra cash, I could always put a cage up in here for my customers.”

“For dancing?” Niki questioned, remembering the man from last night.

“Yeah, I’ve been eying this birdcage style one, matches the paintwork on the ceiling,” she pointed at the ceiling of her parlour, which was indeed painted up with black birds sat on swirling branches.

“I’ll do it,” Niki said, “Until I get a place in a theatre I mean. It’ll be really good practice.”

“That’s the spirit,” Roxy praised him, “And, if you hang around, who knows, Dorian might pop by and you can give him a piece of your mind.”

Niki nodded. Oh he was going to give him a peace of his mind alright. He’d just learned all the man’s dirty secrets, and he’d learned his weaknesses too. However painful it had ended up being, last night’s sex had been utterly fantastic. It would be a shame to just murder the bloodwitch outright, though he would cut him up a bit for Mr Kay’s sake. No, Niki had a better idea.

“You look like you’re up to something,” Roxy commented.

Niki nodded, unable to hide his slight grin.

“I’m everything Dorian doesn’t know how to deal with, right?” he asked the artist. She nodded.

“Pretty much.”

“And I got him to doubt himself, question what he wanted, I unconsciously thwarted his plans, but now I know how to do it properly.”

“Yes,” she replied, now sounding as curious as she looked.

Niki’s bandaged hands balled excitedly into fists.

“What if I made it so he never preyed on another man again?” he declared, “What if I confused him so entirely, made him so doubtful and insecure, that he no longer knew what he was after? That he’d do anything to feel like he had some of his precious Control back?”

Roxy was smiling as if she could see where this was going, but didn’t believe he could get there.

“I’ll take his feet out from under him!” Niki proclaimed, “I’ll wipe out that confidence and wreck his control, and then slowly, ever so slowly, I’ll start giving it back. Make him feel a bit more secure, a bit closer to his comfort zone, but only… _only…_ if he does exactly what_ I_ tell him.”

“I’d love that, but he spends most of his time in Rix Maadi,” Roxy commented, “He’s literally out of your reach.”

“Not if I become a bloodwitch!” Niki proclaimed, “Not if I perform so well that Lord Rakdos himself takes notice. Hell, if he makes me a bloodwitch, maybe I can outrank Dorian. Maybe I can put him in chains and make him my pet! Strip his control and give it back to him only when he’s ready to kneel before me and fuck me whenever I want!”

Roxy started to laugh.

“Oh sweetie, sweetie,” she cackled, “You’re truly something, let me tell you. You’re the most ambitious little guy I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. But why not? Why couldn’t you become a bloodwitch? You’ve already defeated a bloodwitch at his own game. If anyone can go all the way, well, I’d bet my best needles on it.”

“I’ll show him,” Niki promised, hands fisted in the seat cushions, “I’ll show him he messed with the wrong elf. I’ve never been some sorry innocent. I’ve probably been blowing people in alleys since before he was born!”

“Good on you,” said Roxy, “And when the day comes, when you get him on a leash? Bring him here, I’ll tattoo your name across his ass.”

Niki giggled at the image.

“His pecs,” he suggested, “So I can see it as he fucks me.”

Roxy gave a shrug of concession.

“Why didn’t I think of that? Well, Mr Bloodwitch to Be, lets go buy ourselves a birdcage.”


	4. Cagewitch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two years on and Niki has found himself a job at The Chalice Theatre - a debauchery club boasting all number of private performances for well-to-do clients. When everything seems settled, the world has one more surprise for Niki up its sleeve.

**Two years later**

“And I said, _Officer, _you think you’ve played me for a fool. I’m not that trembling little victim, I’m not that frightened little tool. Get that ass back up to Prahv before I whip it blue. Don’t underestimate me darling, ‘cause next I’ll eat you too.”

The lights dimmed. The curtains fell and Niki stood stock still, silent as he heard his clients huff their way their poorly disguised orgasms. He grinned into the cuffs about his wrist, taking a moment to relish in the sounds of barely restrained pleasure filling the room. He always loved doing the Detention Block Confessional. The cannibal wasn’t his favourite role, but they always made for fantastic solo pieces. Of course, if this was a proper show they’d have each prisoner’s tale, one after the other, but clients always did love to pick and choose their favourite bit and their favourite performer. This particular viewing was made all the more amusing by the fact his three clients had clearly been Azorius themselves, getting off on the idea of being seduced by a sexy prisoner. Such naughty naughty arresters, how dearly Niki would love to punish them, to tease them for their unprofessional desires. However, they’d only booked in a show, and clearly dealt with their arousal amongst themselves. Niki would have to satisfy himself later. He had an hour until he was required in the main theatre, a cage-bound accompaniment that afternoon’s matinee.

As soon as the arresters were gone, he unhooked himself from the cage, releasing the leather cuffs from his wrists and ankles, unfastening the collar (adorned with the Azorius crest for a little spice), and unhooking all the various chains and restraints he’d wound himself up in. He rubbed a little sensation back into his poor nipples, clearly glad not be strung up by his piercings anymore. They were so pink he’d almost lost a few freckles to them. Ah well, they’d certainly feel much better when he was in the cage later. 

Stretching his legs with a sigh of relief, he changed out of his prisoner costume and into his chorus outfit for later. He had to admit, out of all his regular costumes, this one was by far his favourite. He never failed to turn heads and there was something about gold underwear that made him feel especially sexy. He used a mirror on the wall to affix his horns, before grabbing his bag and hurrying through the performers exit, hoping he would find a familiar face outside to chat with on his break.

He wasn’t disappointed.

“Heeey Ms Beth!” he called in a stage whisper. This corridor was utterly covered in doors leading to other performance rooms. He didn’t want to disturb too many of the private shows.

“Heeey Niki,” she replied, mimicking his tone and patting the seat beside her. He took it immediately, crossing one stocking-clad leg over the other.

Ms Beth was one of the bouncers who made sure the performers at The Chalice Theatre were safe from overly-aggressive clients. That was one of things Niki loved about The Chalice. Sure it was a debauchery club, sure it was home to all sorts of delightful sin, but it cared about its staff. Most clubs were happy to go through newbies on a weekly basis. The Chalice however, cultivated talent, and it kept its talent well guarded once it had flourished. Each performer doing a solo performance, or doing something even more private upstairs, made it clear what they would and would not do. If the client agreed, paid, and then broke that promise. Well Ms Beth and her fellow bouncers would have them out in the gutter in no time. Or worse. Ms Beth was famous for breaking shins. She was a enormous woman, could easily rip a man in half with her ogre’s strength.

“How was it?” Beth asked him as he settled back in the leather seat with a sigh.

“Same old,” he replied, “Three horny cops living out their fantasies. The middle one was delicious, but alas, just wanted a dance.”

“Poor thing,” she teased, “You do know you have a waiting list of rich admirers if you do just want to dick down.”

Niki waved one hand as if she was being foolish.

“I’m not that desperate yet. How’s things going out here Ms Beth?”

She shrugged.

“Pretty sure everyone in Room 4 went upstairs for an orgy, with or without Sara or Deb. From what I hear, the bride’s had a few and she’s more interested in her bridesmaids than whoever she’s getting hitched to. Deb came running out of here about twenty minutes ago in her smalls and lipstick all over her thighs. Went back in with two more girls and three bottles of fizz. One hell of a hen party.”

“Nice,” Niki commented, “How’s Annie in six? She was getting ready as I was hooking myself up.”

“Haven’t heard from her,” Beth shrugged, “Stuck my ear to the door a little while ago, music was normal, guy was clearly appreciative. Sounds like he’s brought her a gift.”

Niki suddenly remembered why he had wanted to find Beth in the first place.

“Speaking of a gift,” he said, reaching down and picking up his bag, “Got something for you.”

She looked at him in surprise as he rummaged around, finally pulling out a small velvet-covered box.

“Someone passed me this in the dining hall the other day. Look at it and thought, I love gifts, but who would love these three million times more than me? Ms Beth of course!”

He opened up the box and showed her the contents. It was a pair of ornate golden hair clips, shaped in the likeness of rabbits, one stood up and the other stretched out so its paws could encompass the entire clip. They each had small blue gems for eyes, and mother of pearl set into their cotton-puff tails.

Beth gasped and looked like she was going to cry.

“Oh Niki, they’re adorable! And beautiful! You really want me to have these?”

He nodded eagerly.

“They’d look so good on you Ms Beth! And you’re like, the Queen of Rabbits! Can I put them on for you?”

“Of course!”

She turned and crouched a little, so Niki could reach her rough leather bound ponytail. She was so large that he needed both clips to keep her hair in place, but by the time he was done, she looked positively regal with her gold accessories.

“There!” he proclaimed, “Now you’re totally the Queen of Bunnies Ms Beth! They look so pretty with your eyes! You should show Madame Director, I bet she’d think you’re even more gorgeous, if possible.”

She pulled him into a crushing hug, blushing all the way to her ears

“You’re adorable Niki,” she murmured, “You and Madame Director both, treating me like I’m not some big dumb brute.”

Niki hugged her back, not managing to wrap his arms about her, but the gesture was there.

“You’re not a dumb brute, you’re a beautiful queen,” he told her, “And if anyone says other wise, I’ll rip their eyes out with my fingernails.”

She laughed.

“You’re such a sweetie, sometimes I forget what a wicked little devil you are.”

“I can be sweet and wicked,” Niki insisted, “Got to keep everyone guessing.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Beth chuckled. It seemed she couldn’t help but admire the sight of her gold hair clips in the mirror across the hall.

“Talking of gifts, you might have one waiting for you. A goblin in Izzet gear dropped a package off for you in the lobby.”

“Izzet gear?” Niki repeatedly. As far as he was aware, he only had one openly Izzet admirer and he always sent Niki the best gifts, usually of his own creation.

“Yeah, according to Madame Director, the goblin came straight from Copper Alley. Does that mean what I think that means?” She raised an eyebrow at him as Niki smirked deviously.

“That entirely depends on what you think it means,” Niki replied, his tone light and teasing. She rolled her eyes.

“I’m going to get the story out of you one day,” she said, “So why not today? It’s been really crappy being kept in the dark about your supposed home-wrecking tendencies.”

Niki pouted.

“I didn’t _intend_ to wreck any homes, it just happened that way,” he said, “But…if Ms Beth _really_ wants…”

“I do,” she interrupted, “Tell me and I’ll even go and look after your package whilst you’re in the matinee.”

That sounded like a good idea. He never liked leaving his gifts lying about in case they got stolen by some opportunistic lowlife. With Beth guarding it, no one would dare.

“_Fine_,” he said, acting put upon, “Let me have a snack whilst we talk, I haven't got long until I’m stuck in a cage for two hours. I’ve got some jerky somewhere, want some?”

“Not if its been in your pants,” Beth replied, making Niki pout even more.

“It hasn’t been in my pants jeez,” he replied, “I don’t keep everything in my pants! No matter what anyone says.”

“I saw you put jerky in your pants just the other day,” said Beth, “And everyone knows you hide food in strange places, like we’re going to get snowed in or something.”

“I wrap it up first,” Niki protested, annoyed that apparently everyone knew now.

“Yeah, but why?” Beth asked, “Are you worried you’re going to run out?”

Niki didn’t reply, mainly because she’d got it in one. He hadn’t starved at all since he’d run away from home, but that didn’t mean he didn’t lapse back into his old fears occasionally. For over eighty years, his parents had used food as a means to control him. When he was perfectly obedient he was fed, when he failed, he was starved. He’d hidden supplies under his bed for the hungriest nights. Old habits died hard and maybe, yes, he hid himself some snacks in case Madame Director suddenly decided he needed to go hungry. Not that she was anything like his parents. Niki however didn’t feel like sharing any of that, so instead he went for:

“I know people who’d pay good zinos to eat what’s in my pants.”

Beth rolled her eyes again.

“I don’t doubt it. Now, fess up. What did you do with that Izzet man?”

Niki giggled, blissfully distracted from thoughts of starvation as he found his non-pants jerky and settled back into his chair.

“Well, Ms Beth, it all begins two months ago, when Mr Glynn came, with his fiancée, to watch a performance of Cirque de Chalice. Mr Glynn is an inventor, an artificer I think they call them, and he didn’t really want to be there. He didn’t want to be anywhere with his fiancée really, but she had insisted they go out that night to celebrate their impending marriage.”

“Oh gods, you crashed a wedding,” Beth gasped. Niki shook his head.

“Not quite,” he replied, “His fiancée was the daughter of an Orzhov Pontiff, all high fashion and equally high temper. As soon as I saw her, I knew something was up. She didn’t have the man on a leash, but she probably wanted to. The way she held onto his arm was nothing but possessive, and he was clearly terrified of her.”

“Ah,” Beth commented.

“Well, I was working the dining hall, so I came to serve them their meal– champagne and seafood, all the razzle dazzle. She’s talking loudly over the music and he clearly wants to go. He’s been watching me for some time as if praying for an out. She notices, and guess what she does?”

“Freaks out?” suggested Beth. Niki giggled again.

“Not yet. She thinks it would be an utterly hilarious idea to splash her cash a little and make me give the man a lap dance. Now, I’m not usually a grab and thrust kind of guy, but hey, this man is having an awful time of it, and he’s definitely easy on the eyes. Maybe I can make his evening a little better?”

“Was that the last time you did a lap dance?” Beth asked, “I thought you were too picky these days.”

Niki shrugged.

“Probably. Though I did blow that one Boros mage under the table, hidden in his robes.”

Beth flushed.

“Yeah, yeah you did.”

“He was _huge_.”

“I don’t need to know Niki.”

Niki shrugged, fair enough.

“Well, I started to give Mr Glynn his lap dance. He _loved_ it. Why wouldn’t he? But Little Miss Fiancée was absolutely pissed. Apparently, she’d just been trying to shock and embarrass him in front of the rest of the audience. She didn’t expect the man to actually enjoy it. She slapped him round the face and started screeching like a banshee about how he was cheating on her. After kissing his poor face better, I turned to her to point out that she’d not only paid for this, but she was the one who’d ordered me to do it. That kicked her off even more. It took two bouncers… Freddie and Vix, to pull her out of there. She screamed for the manager all the way, so Madame Director came out to see what the fuss was about.”

“This bit I know about,” Beth joined in, “She attacked Madame Director, who just used her magic to pin the woman down whilst Vix called some loyal police.”

“Yeah, I wasn’t there for that,” Niki replied, “I was too busy with Mr Glynn. As he watched his fiancée get dragged out, he broke down in tears right in front of me. I helped him up, grabbed the drinks, and took him to a private room. There he broke down entirely and told me all about his absolute nightmare of a relationship. Turns out his dad owes her dad a debt. She came and visited him in his workshop one day, decided he was cute, and demanded him as payment for the debt. “

“Holy shit,” Beth breathed.

“Poor guy was terrified out of his wits. He didn’t love her. He was petrified of her. He clung onto me for dear life, weeping as he tried to get all the words out. I held him through it. Did the best I could, plenty of hugs, rubbed his back, told him that everything was going to be ok, stroked his hair for a bit – he really liked that. Eventually he fell asleep in my arms and I just sat there, holding him, for hours, until Madame Director came to find me and I explained everything to her.”

“So what happened to him then? Did she get arrested?”

“Think so,” Niki continued, “Madame Director was fairly sure she wouldn’t see the light of day again, so she’s either imprisoned or dead in some alley somewhere. Madame Director let Mr Glynn stay the night as his fiancée had spent so much money here. I was there when he woke up, I brought him breakfast and let him know he was safe. Then we got some of Boros to take him back safely to his workshop. I thought that would be it.”

His smirk became more like a gentle smile.

“Turns out I’d made quite the impression,” he sighed, “Two weeks later, I got the hugest bunch of flowers with a letter attached. He thanked me for staying with him, thanked me for listening to his plight. He explained that the marriage had been called off, his family was free of its debts, everything was going to work out fine, just like I said. Not only that, he wanted to see me again. I looked him up and turns out he’d booked a private performance with me, _and_ room for the night. Usually I go for someone a bit more, well-built, but I couldn’t really say no to such a heartfelt request. I gave him my best pole work, turned it into a far more private lapdance, and went upstairs with him.”

He gave a little shiver before remembering exactly where he was.

“The man’s got a new job out of district, but he sends me gifts when he’s made something he’ll think I like. Whenever he is nearby, well, he’s one of my best repeat customers. He was a very quick learner on how to treat me right.”

Niki turned to Beth, waiting for a verdict on his story.

“That’s,” she managed, “Not as scandalous as I thought it was going to be.”

Niki shrugged.

“I can’t always be scandalous; how will anyone ever be shocked again?”

She couldn’t deny that so cast about for something else to talk about.

“You’re in a cage for the performance of Lost in Shadows aren’t you?”

“Yep,” Niki replied, finally starting on the jerky he’d forgot entirely about in his storytelling.

“You do know if you upstage Annabella again, she will murder you.”

“She can try,” Niki replied, “She hasn’t managed yet.”

Beth made a noise somewhere between a chuckle and a sigh, shaking her head in despair.

“Oh _come on_,” Niki whined, “She’s a hack Ms Beth, we all know it! The only reason why Madame Director keeps her on is the fact her parents are rich and she has nice tits.”

Beth opened her mouth, closed it again, and then made a noncommittal noise in the back of her throat.

“Just,” she managed, “Just try not to piss her off too much. _Try_.”

They carried on talking until somewhere, deep within the bowels of the building, a clock chimed three. That had Niki rushing to his feet, wishing her a speedy goodbye, before sprinting towards the main theatre. He paused in the dressing room to refresh his eyeliner before hurrying into the dining room where his fellow performers were already warming up. Lost in Shadows had a fairly small cast, relying mostly on the strength of its romantic leads. Unfortunately one of those leads was Annabella, who Niki had always thought was crap. Gods, this was going to be a long two hours if the music wasn’t good. He usually got through these long shows by losing himself to the beat, giving his little section of the dining room a good show. Annabella hated the fact he was on chorus during her big performances, because he had a tendency to distract all his surrounding tables into watching him rather than the main stage. That really wasn’t his problem. If she was just better at her job, she wouldn’t have that issue now would she?

Luckily for him, the music for Lost in Shadow was enough to block out the sub-par romance on stage. He quickly attracted the attention of the tables around him, meeting the eyes of the most flustered customers as he moved his hips to the slow sounds coming from the orchestra pit. Lost in Shadow was certainly a trip, full of mystery, intrigue and trance like music. Niki licked his lips as he let the warmth of the theatre wash over him, one hand splayed on his own chest as he ground his hips up against the bars. Someone below him let out a soft gasp as he felt himself harden in his shiny underwear. He located the source of the gasp, a plain looking young man with his hood up so not to be recognised in the debauchery club. Niki winked at him and he hastily looked away, only to resume staring a moment or so later.

In the cage was the perfect pole for a little show. He wrapped his gloved hands around it, curling up before lifting himself into a handstand, legs falling into the splits as they extended gracefully through the bars. He then raised them, his knees clinging about the black ironwork as he lifted himself off the pole entirely, hanging upside down as he gestured in time with the hypnotic music behind him. Alternating between touching himself and dramatic gesture, he swiftly lost himself as the orchestra finished its opening number. He loved cage dancing because he could lose himself in here. Nothing but himself, the music, and a very captive audience. He grabbed the topmost bars with both hands before swing his legs back down, arching his hips and letting out a low sensual moan, much to the delight of the people directly below him.

It was strangely warm in here tonight. Considering how cold the iron was and how little he was wearing, he would have thought it would be chillier. He continued his display of just how lithe and flexible he was, drawing out oohs and aahs from the nearby tables. As the music picked up, he began to roll his movements in time with the rhythm, his curls falling about his face as he swivelled about the pole, holding on with his thighs. Soon he’d forgotten about the tables, entirely lost to his own movements, enjoying the stretches, the extensions, the point of his toes and the strain on his fingers. This was what he was best at. Contorting his body in time to the beat, fluid almost, in the face of such wondrous music.

His eyes slid shut as he hooked one hand about an iron bar, seizing the red rope that hung from the very apex of the arch roof, and spinning like a top, his knees apart but his ankles entwined. He could be anywhere right now. He could be in hell and he wouldn’t care. All he needed was a musical accompaniment and a lust-struck crowd. One day he’d be doing this in Rix Maadi. One day he’d spin over a pit of fire, moan as it warmed him to the core, tangled in the chains attached to the collars of his hellbeasts and enamoured pets. The other witches would groan like Annabella groaned, knowing they were outclassed, outmatched, by his young and flexible body. Dorian would wait for him, on his knees, like such a good pet. Towel him down when he was done, carry him on his shoulders back to their house, where he would have collected all his trophies. Trophies of sell-out performances, trophies of his fallen enemies, trophies taken out of Rix Maadi all for him.

He could feel the hell-fire now. The metal was so hot to the touch as he span and span, losing himself entirely, he could no longer hear the music at all. But he didn’t need it. He could hear his own beat, dance with his racing heart, imagine the fiendish chorus playing deep beneath the earth at his request. He would spin and spin, just like he was doing now, and when he was done Lord Rakdos himself would compliment him on a job well done. In response, he’d bow, his curls as fiery as the lava pit before him, and say nothing could pleasure him more than performing for the Great Defiler. The mighty demon would chuckle, praise him, _gods_, he could hear that laughter now…

“YOU HAVE SUCH MIGHTY AMBITIONS FOR SUCH A TINY CREATURE.”

Somehow Niki wasn’t surprised, somehow he just knew this was where he belonged. In the gaze of the Great Defiler.

“Your Greatness,” he thought, “ Welcome. Such an _honour_ to finally speak to you.”

The laughter continued.

“YOU DO NOT SEEM AS FRIGHTENED AS YOU OUGHT.”

“I have become what your guild entails my lord, why should I be frightened?”

“WHY INDEED.”

Niki continued to spin and twist, dancing whilst the Great Defiler peered into his mind. Somehow he couldn’t bring himself to be scared. Some might call this terrifying, to have an ancient demon lord rummaging through your thoughts. Yet he was s lost in his act, in the heat, in his own dream, that he allowed his Guildmaster as deep as he might like, no fight, just submitting under his fiery scrutiny. The hellfire warmed his exposed skin, but it did not burn him. He was being judged and he felt worthy.

“YOU WISH TO PERFORM IN MY HALLS.”

“Yes my Lord.”

“YOU WISH TO RISE TO THE GREATEST HEIGHTS MY COURT HAS TO OFFER.”

“To serve you my Lord.”

“YOU WISH TO ENACT YOUR JUSTICE UPON MY STAGE.”

“Of course my Lord.”

“YOU WISH TO MASTER ONE OF MY WITCHES. BRING HIM TO HIS KNEES, CONTROL HIM AND HIS TROOP.”

“More than _anything,_ my Lord.”

The demon’s laughter echoed through his mind like a great rolling drumbeat that Niki couldn’t help but move to. 

“YOU AMUSE ME ELFLING.”

“I live to entertain you my Lord.”

That only made him laugh harder. Niki could feel his mirth from his topmost curl to the tips of his toes. Rakdos’ approval filled him with a joy that sang through every nerve. His Greatness approved! Oh what a blessing!

“YOU WILL NOT SURVIVE RIX MAADI AS YOU ARE,” Lord Rakdos informed him, “BUT YOU HAVE ALREADY ENTERTAINED ME GREATLY, LITTLE WITCH. I WILL GRANT YOU THE POWER TO CLIMB TO MY SIDE, IF YOU GIVE ME BUT ONE SMALL THING IN RETURN.”

Niki’s heart leapt.

“Anything my Lord.”

“YOUR SOUL.”

“All yours forever my Lord.”

If any brain power was required to make that choice, Niki didn’t use it. So wrapped up in heat and his own movements, such an abstract concept as a soul was nothing compared to what the Great Defiler was offering him. The power to get to Rix Maadi? The power to finally bring Dorian to heel? To make him his? Priceless.

“THEN USE WHAT I HAVE GIVEN YOU CAGEWITCH,” said the demon “IRON SHALL BEND TO YOUR WILL. USE IT. PRACTICE WITH IT. GROW. AND WHEN THE TIME COMES, PROVE YOURSELF WORTHY TO BE AT MY SIDE.”

“Yes Lord Rakdos!” The cry burst forth from his thoughts, escaping his lips with rapture. The demon’s laughter filled his mind, growing ever fainter, taking the hellfire with him. As the music returned, the heat remained however. Niki felt his cage judder around him and he opened his eyes just in time to see that he was being lowered.

And more importantly.

The cage was on fire.

“What the fuck did you do?!” screeched Annabella.

The dining hall had been cleared, though some curious customers still lingered at the edges, watching on in shock and alarm. The cast of “Lost in Shadows” watched on in horror, as did many of the other chorus dancers, still hanging in their cages. Niki looked round at the burning metal surrounding him as two bouncers ran into the room and gawped at Niki, who had yet to move from his cage. Niki didn’t dare touch the metal for fear of horrible burns. And Kay would not be impressed if he showed up after three months with that much damage. He considered if there was anything nearby that he could lever the door open with, when suddenly all the flames were snuffed out like a candle on a birthday cake. Everyone turned to see Madame Director stride in the room, flanked by two more bouncers, one of which was Beth.

She was sweating profusely. Sweat dripped down her elegantly painted features as she too had been in a burning cage. Another click of her fingers and the door swung open. Niki leapt gracefully out, still careful not to touch the searing hot iron.

“Madame Director!” he gasped, “Madame Director, I-“

“He upstaged me again!” Annabella screamed jabbing one clawed finger at him, “This is the second time this week!”

“Shut up Annabella,” snapped Madame Director, “Did you not see what just occurred?”

“He set the cage on fire,” Annabella accused, “To ruin my big show! He-”

“No he didn’t you foolish girl,” Madame Director interrupted, “Since when has Niki had magical ability? Well, since now I gather. Did you not feel His presence in the theatre?”

Annabella scowled as murmurs ran round the assembled performers. Niki caught Beth’s eye, unsure whether he was in trouble or not. Beth pointed at him and then at her own neck. Not in a threatening way, more of a ‘look there’ way. Niki frowned and glanced about for a reflective surface. There was a serving platter on the floor. He picked it up and looked at his reflection.

He had a new tattoo, a tattoo that definitely wasn’t there when he’d got into the cage such a short while ago. He only visited Roxy for tattoos and this was not one of hers. It ringed his neck like an ornate black collar, thick black lines with ornate curls stretching symmetrically from the middle. At the very centre was the outline of a circle, like the ring on some of the collars he’d worn in the past. It was a very possessive tattoo, more reminiscent of a collar than a choker, but Niki swiftly realised what this must mean.

“Lord Rakdos has claimed him for his own!” proclaimed Madame Director, “He has the binding mark. He danced untouched by hellfire. The Great Defiler was in this theatre tonight and he has judged Niki worthy.”

“This was MY show! MINE! He should have chosen ME!"”

AnNabella let out a shriek of rage. Niki dropped the platter in shock as she suddenly leapt at him, brandishing a steak knife in one hand and a stage dagger in the other – both equally as sharp. Niki yelped but his fear was unwarranted. He threw up an arm to block his face but in that split second, he felt something heavy and solid materialise in his hand. On instinct, he swung it. The long blade caught Annabella’s knives, knocking them out of her hands and sending them skittering across the floor. This did not dissuade her however. She leapt at him. Niki turned the longsword so he was presenting her with the flat of his blade. Striking her across the chest, he sent her flying, clearly winded, crashing into a nearby table.

There was a round of applause from his colleagues as Niki marvelled at the blade in his hands. It looked like it was made of wrought iron, the swirls about the hilt identical to those on the cage he had just vacated. However, wrought iron was brittle, you couldn’t make swords out of it, it was also really heavy. But here this blade was, light, strong, as long as the knights’ blades in the Selesnya but pitch black, spiked and decorated in detailing that put the theatre chandeliers to shame.

“Cagewitch,” he murmured to himself, “I’m a cagewitch. Lord Rakdos…is this your gift?”

It had to be. He looked past the blade as one of the bouncers helped the rather dazed Annabella to her feet. He was then forced to watch as Madame Director approached, eyeing the newly-crowned cagewitch with a gleam in her eyes.

“Niki, my office, if you will.”

Niki gulped and her painted lips curled into a smile.

“No need to be so nervous sweet. I think we’ve found our new star.”


	5. Love and War

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Twenty years on, Ravnica is being invaded by a dragon and his army of blue skeletons, intent on settling down to rule the plane. This hasn't affected Niki too much so far. The skeletons are weird and he's not 100% on what planeswalkers are, but he's living his life as per normal.
> 
> That is until he's asked by Madame Director to entertain a new VIP, a man so unbelievably attractive, and so much Niki's type, that you could think he's from another world entirely.

Niki yawned into his candy apple as he trod the familiar route out back. He’d been inside all day and was due some fresh air sooner or later. There was a walled off patio area out back of the theatre for staff to use on their breaks. Right now it had been stocked with outdoor heaters under its fold-out canopy. The stormy Autumn weather wasn’t the best for relaxing outside, but Niki had been breathing in sweat, perfume and spices all day. He needed to feel the wind on his face for as long as he could endure its chill.

“Heya Gigi.” He wasn’t surprised to find someone else out here, especially as he and Gigi had the same shift patterns. She waved him over, the stub of a cigarette glowing faintly between gauntleted fingers. Gigi was as fond of her armour aesthetic as he was of his need for thigh-high stockings. Her honey-blond curls were wrapped around metal spike-tipped rollers that shone orange in the light of the patio heaters.

“Hey Niki,” she sighed as he took the spot on the bench opposite her, “You look wiped.”

“Same to you,” Niki replied, finally taking a bite out of his caramel-coated treat, “Need a bit of a rest and a sugar hit and I’ll be fine.”

Gigi merely ‘hmmed’ into her cigarette. Whilst he and Gigi weren’t exactly friends, they had a bond of mutual respect that came of being lead performers with no need to fight over the limelight. Gigi was currently understudying him in “One Last Flight” but she also got to play Emmara Tandris in “The Explicit Maze”, so she wasn’t short of big roles. Niki was understudying Charlie in that play, but had only had to step in once to play the Simic mazerunner.

Gigi exhaled a cloud of red-tinted smoke into the overhead canopy.

“Any idea why Madame D’s got her knickers in a twist?” she asked, “Saw her this morning. Looked like she was ready to strangle a bastard but something was stoppin her.”

Remembering what Beth said this morning, Niki was fairly sure he knew exactly why Madame Director was stressed out.

“It’s fine,” he replied, “I sorted it out. Ms Beth should have told Madame Director it’s all ok.”

Gigi raised one elegantly pencilled eyebrow at him.

“What d’you mean  _ you _ sorted it out?” she said, “I admit, I haven’t seen Beth today. She was upstairs before I got in.”

Niki sat up a little straighter in his seat.

“Don’t worry, it’s just a new customer. A really important one, that’s why Madame Director was all antsy. He was  _ super _ official and probably really dangerous if she didn’t do what he said.”

Gigi’s eyebrows had disappeared into her fringe.

“You going to give me any more details on that, or are you tryin to keep secrets?”

Niki shrugged.

“Not really. He works for the new authority, y’know the one that’s building all those dragon statues, putting posters up and making nasty blue skellies walk around the place.”

“Oh,” Gigi took another drag on her cigarette, “Yeah, that seems like it’d stress out Madame D. So, she sent you, did she? That’s how you got those bruises I take it? And the teeth marks on your shoulder?”

“Yep,” Niki replied, with more than a little pride, “She didn’t need to be worried, Ms Beth too, he was  _ gorgeous _ . And a gentleman, more so than anyone I usually see.”

Gigi rolled her eyes but she couldn’t hide her interest. She leant over the table a little propping her head up with her elbow on the table.

“Considering your tastes in men, I’m only half-surprised,” she commented, “But go on, I’m listening.”

Niki gave a delighted wiggle and leaned in, elbow also on the table.

“His name is Mr Teos, and he’s like head-warrior person for the people tracking down the ‘planeswalkers’. He’s  _ so  _ tall, easily a foot over me, and built like a Wojek Monthly illustration.”

Gigi made a whistling sound.

“Still don’t know how those aren’t porn, but I’m not complainin.”

Niki couldn’t help but grin at that. They had a lot of Wojek Monthly illustrations pinned up in the staffroom on the first floor. Last Ragefest they’d played pin the dick on the officer between shows.

“Anyway,” he continued, “He’s definitely one of those planeswalker people, but on the authority side. He doesn’t dress like anyone Ravnican – no shirt, all gold jewellery and fancy silk bottoms. His hair is long and so soft, and his hands… large, strong, per-fect .”

“And we all know what they say about the size of a man’s hands,” Gigi chuckled. Niki nodded fervently in agreement.

“Even better than you’re imagining,” he replied “I’m surprised I’ve been up so long. Achey sure, but he was gracious not to wreck me unlike some of the cads I’ve got as clients. And his smile…”

He sighed into his hand.

“I could watch him all day, just talkin and smiling at me. If he doesn’t come back, I’m going to be  _ so _ sad.”

“Careful,” Gigi said, sounding very amused, “It almost sounds like you’re crushing on the guy.”

Niki stuck his tongue out at her.

“He’s  _ perfect _ Gigi. How often do we get perfect customers?”

She laughed as she got to her feet.

“Not nearly enough. But remember, this guy’s from another world, right? Who knows, he might have some like weird alien ritual where he sacrifices you mid-fuck to his dragon god?”

Niki giggled.

“Well then I’d die doing what I loved,” he stated, “Tall well-built men.”

“Amen to that,” said Gigi. She stretched before stubbing out her cigarette on a nearby wall.

“Alright, time for more shitty stand-up,” she sighed, “See you in a bit.”

Niki waved her off before returning his attention to his much-neglected apple. The warmth of the heaters had started to melt the caramel off the fruit. He started to lick up the molten sugar as he surveyed the rest of the empty patio area. Really, as far as he was concerned, he’d had one of the best mornings he’d had in years. Possibly the best morning ever. To be honest, after such excitement - what with everyone being so nervous and the skeletons in the hallway - the afternoon had proved rather anticlimactic. It was like he’d had a taste of paradise, proved to Madame Director why he truly was the best in show, and now everything was disappointingly back to normal. He’d woken up from some sort of daydream straight back into wait duty. But Mr Teos was real. Very real and very much a dream come true. Niki had never had someone even worth comparing to Lord Dorian before but now… now… Oh, Mr Teos hadn’t even tried to kill him! Plus, they’d cuddled! Oh, could it be? Was meeting Mr Teos even better than that fateful encounter over twenty years ago? Part of Niki’s mind was saying yes. Another was praying that he didn’t have to wait another twenty years for the next one. 

Niki read a lot of romance novels – namely the thin paperback kind you only found in very good libraries or Rakdos-owned bookstores. He’d rarely felt like a swooning romantic hero – perhaps the last time had been when Master Dorian had bought him that first drink. However, when Teos had swept him into his arms, Niki had felt his heart race and the heat rise to his face. Pressed against that gloriously muscular chest, he couldn’t imagine anywhere he’d rather be. He must be a sight, flushed and aroused from only a little touching. He could probably say it was all exertion from that spar they’d had, but there was no point. His attraction was extremely obvious. Niki couldn’t bring himself to check the mirrors around the room as he slid into Teos’ lap. He straddled one of Teos’ thighs as large hands cupped his face and brought him in close for a kiss. A moan escaped Niki, quite unbidden, making Teos smirk as he drew him in for another kiss. And another, then another, at first gentle and fleeting. Yet neither of them seemed able to stay chaste for long. The press of their lips turned forceful and needy. Niki parted his at the insistent touch of tongue, Teos leaving him gasping for air as he chuckled, feeling Niki’s hands roam over his back and shoulders. Niki whimpered at the sudden lack of contact and dove in for another open-mouthed kiss that had Teos exploring, tasting, until Niki was breathless with lust.

“Are you this desperate with all your guests?” Teos teased, kissing across Niki’s flushed cheeks and murmuring in his ear.

“Only if they’re,” Niki panted, “Only if they’re as gorgeous as you.”

“Is that many?” Teos asked, one hand leaving Niki’s face so he could wrap an arm round Niki’s waist, drawing him in even closer.

“N-No, not at all.”

Niki was enraptured. Pinned in place by hands now roaming the slight curves of his body, he was being pressed into the large thigh shifting against his crotch. He felt like he couldn’t move even if he wanted to. But why would he? Not content to let Teos have all the fun, he stripped off his gloves to get a better feel of his body. He’d already made Teos bleed but he wanted to leave a few more marks – the kind that would raise all sorts of questions when Teos went back to work. 

Yet, even as Niki traced the smooth lines of his muscles, the firmness of his abs, and considered how he might like to mark him, Teos was one step ahead. Niki cried out as Teos began to drag his lips down the column of his throat. Nipping, sucking, until he left a trail of bruises in his wake, he paid special attention to the point at which Niki’s pulse fluttered in excitement. 

One hand caressed Niki’s stomach, stroking steadily downwards until it reached the tented material of his sheer black underwear. Niki ground his hips, begging for that touch, but Teos’ descent stopped torturously close. Instead, he opted to tease Niki’s nipples through the lace of his shirt. Sucking at the thin material, he left damp patches on Niki’s chest as the blush on his face cascaded down his torso. The scratchy friction of lace on sensitive skin was swiftly becoming too much for Niki to bear. He distracted Teos for a moment, drawing him up into another kiss before hastily discarding the garment. His distraction proved short lived as no sooner was the shirt gone, then he felt large fingers toying at the rings in his nipples. A light tug had dual shocks of pain and pleasure coursing through him, making his hips shudder as he let out a high-pitched cry. His nipples were already hard and sensitive.Now they seemed the swiftest way to send blood rushing south.

“I could just spend all day teasing you,” Teos murmured, “Explore all the beautiful noises I can wring from your body. Make you squirm with want in my lap until you’re overcome just with the thought of what I could be doing to you.”

Ordinarily, the breathy noise Niki made would make him cringe. However, in the hands of this man, Niki was beyond embarrassment.

“Could you do that for me?” Teos continued, “Sit pretty in my arms and come from just how much you want my cock?”

Yes, he could, but…

“Nooo,” Niki whimpered, “I want to feel you. Sir, please, I want you inside me. More than anything. Do what you want with me but please…I need you inside.”

Apparently, he was being adorable for Teos’ smile softened and he pressed a surprisingly tender kiss to his cheek.

“Maybe another time then,” Teos chuckled.

“ _ Yes _ ,” Niki wanted there to be another time. This time hadn’t even ended yet and he wanted another.

“How much, I wonder, to keep all  _ this _ to myself,” Teos mused as Niki traced spirals on his chest with trembling fingertips. At ‘this’, he slid his hand down Niki’s side, brushing his fingers against the straps of his underwear.

“How could I give up a prize so stunning now I have you in my grasp?”

Niki had half a mind to swoon, if he wasn’t so distracted by the sensation of his underwear being pulled down to his thighs. Even as he lay kisses across Teos’ shoulders, he became aware of how little he was wearing in comparison. He was about to say something, hopefully intelligible, when suddenly he felt fingers brush against the tip of his cock. Instead of something smooth, or remotely sensible, his words came out in a babble of:

“Ask, and-and I’m yours. All yours, just yours, but please. Sir, please… your clothes, you’re wearing far too many…””

Teos seemed quite content mapping out the sensitive skin between Niki’s thighs. Niki tried, somewhat pathetically, to find the catch or button on Teos’ corset and failed miserably as a pair of fingers traced the length of his cock. Despite the ache in his nipples, Teos was now treating Niki like something soft and delicate. Glancing touches, so little pressure that Niki couldn’t help but whimper and try and thrust into his hand.

“So pretty,” Teos commented, “And so eager… did you shave for me?”

“Elf,” Niki managed, “Don’t have…hair there but ...if did, I would… for you. Please Sir. Please…please undress… I need to see you. I need to taste you. Please let me suck your cock.”

Teos groaned. Niki must have finally broken through his patience, for he was promptly lifted off Teos’ lap and sat blinking on the covers. Niki slipped off his underwear as he watched Teos start unfastening all the layers of fabric around his waist. Trying not to be too obvious proved useless. There was a mirror right behind Teos, showing Niki exactly how hungry he looked. He was a hot mess. Flushed pink to the tips of ears, his eyes had darkened into a crimson that matched the ruddy hue of his lips. Swollen and a little bruised, they did nothing to conceal how thoroughly he’d been ravished - neither did the trail of bruises down his neck. His nipples were deep pink and hard from all the attention they’d received. Suddenly, the whumph of fabric hitting the bed distracted him from his own reflection entirely.

A sound that could only be described as longing escaped Niki’s lips before he could stop it. Teos beckoned him closer and Niki obeyed, crawling across the covers until he was lifted off his knees and into another dizzying kiss. Bare chest against bare chest, he could feel Teos’ heavy erection pressed up against his thighs. Niki spread his legs a little, allowing the length slip through, letting him feel the friction of skin on skin. A few shallow thrusts smeared precum across his thigh and made Teos hiss in pleasure against his cheek. However, that wasn’t what Niki had promised him. He wasn’t just a soft body to rut against. He needed to taste, to show Teos where his talents truly lay.

Finally, after being given an array of fresh bruises down his neck, he wiggled out of Teos’ grip with a sultry:

“Let me be a man of my word Sir.”

Niki dropped back onto all fours, the perfect height as Teos knelt atop the covers above him.. He kept his eyes fixed on Teos’ as he brushed his lips against the tip of his cock. Come to think of it, when was the last time he’d given anyone a blowjob? It had to be at least a month. Well, he needed to make up for lost time and what better way to do it then with such an impressive example to work with?

He kissed and licked his way down the length, revelling in the short choked-off noises that Teos was making. He felt like the tables had turned - finally he’d gained the ability to render the other speechless. Fully intending to abuse this newfound power, Niki licked a wet stripe back up to the tip, making Teos moan and shudder. Teasing the slit of Teos’ cock with his tongue, Niki tried to form of a plan of action. Yet as soon as he went to take the head into his mouth, he felt a cautionary hand in his hair.

“Easy there,” Teos groaned, as if it was a struggle to form a coherent phrase right now, “You’re going to hurt your- “

There was only one thing to do in the face of such a foolish warning. Taking a deep breath, his gaze never leaving Teos’, he slid the entire length down his throat in one smooth motion. Whatever language Teos had just sworn in, it wasn’t Ravnican. Niki only recognised it as a swear word because what else would you exclaim after someone took your cock into their mouth with such ease? Especially when you were that large. 

Niki wished he could smirk, look smug, anything to celebrate his victory. However, that was immensely difficult with his lips stretched so wide and his mouth rammed so full. He wasn’t cruel enough to rush the man. Niki waited, letting Teos catch his breath as he merely held his cock in his mouth. Keeping it warm and slick as Teos gathered his bearings. Yet, as soon as it looked like Teos had pulled himself together, Niki couldn’t help himself. He began to bob his head, treating the cock in his mouth to long slow drags of his lips and tongue. He kept each movement uneven, sometimes merely lapping at the head, other times sinking his lips so far, he could feel precum dripping down the back of his throat.

Teos seemed to have lost the ability to form words. Triumphant, Niki switched to a steady pace, provoking the occasional surprised moan with a slight scrape of teeth. The hand gripping his curls let go, giving Niki complete freedom of movement. He bobbed his head, caressing what wasn’t currently in his mouth with nimble fingers. Niki felt Teos shift slightly as once more, he took his entire length into his throat. The movement was enough to make his jaw ache a little, but as to why the shift was necessary… Well, that was soon answered by the pop of a cork and the familiar smell of fancy lubricant. Teos leaned over him, parting his cheeks and circling his entrance with lube-slick fingertips. Niki moaned as he felt the first large finger enter him, the vibrations causing Teos to groan in turn. Niki picked up his pace as he felt Teos’ other hand knead at his backside, a second finger quickly joining the first. Yet this was no hasty preparation for a quick fuck. For so many of his clients, this was a matter of formality but… Niki was happy for so many reasons – the first of which being that taking Teos without thorough prep would likely break him. He moaned and keened around the cock in his mouth, revelling at the stretch, the thorough massaging of his insides, the cool relief of more lube coating his entrance. He could feel his muscles relax under the firm pressure of that intimate touch. At three fingers, he was canting his hips for more, thrusting back as his rim stretched so wide it struggled to close up tight when those fingers retreated. Niki’s thighs began to shake in pleasure. Every brush across his prostate had him crying out and clenching, willing back orgasm with all his might. Determined not to come first, he doubled his efforts on Teos, swallowing and clenching his throat muscles just enough to have him moaning loudly overhead.

The cock in his mouth twitched and suddenly Niki felt himself being pulled off and up.

“Whilst you-you look absolutely perfect wrapped around my cock,” Teos panted, “I’d rather like to come in that lovely ass of yours.”

Niki smiled, wiping sweat and precum off his face.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way Sir.”

He pressed both palms to Teos’ impressive pectorals, steering him backwards until he was sat against the headboard. Teos passed him the glass bottle of lube as Niki straddled his thighs once more. Niki couldn’t help but take a moment to rub their erections together, Teo’s saliva-slick length looking larger, even more gorgeous, compared to his own. Pouring out a generous amount of lube, he took Teos’ length in both hands, making him groan and bite his lip, clearly willing back the urge to come.

Niki let out a happy little sigh. Excitement mounting at the thought that he would be taking such girth, so much inside of him. He met Teos’ gaze as he rose to his knees, parting his cheeks with one hand, lining himself up with the other. He took a deep breath to steady himself, relaxing his muscles as he took the head inside his twitching entrance. Teos swore again but he was smiling as he watched Niki slowly lower himself onto his cock, moaning he sank inch by inch, thighs spread so wide he could have easily stretched into the splits. At that thought, he considered unfolding himself entirely. To prove why you wanted a gymnast between the sheets. But no, he wanted to ride Teos. Show him where he should be getting his pleasure from here on out. Other performers would call him far too big. They wouldn’t even have put their mouths on him but Niki…

“Oh  _ Sir _ , I want to feel you all day long. Remind myself with every step just how well you filled me. How you made me beg.”

“You think you’re done begging Sweetheart?” Teos chuckled, sounding a little breathless as he watched his cock disappear into Niki’s trembling body.

“Can you make me?” Niki giggled. Suddenly, one of his thighs spasmed and gave out, dropping him down, hard. He screamed as he was impaled to the core. Too late, Teos had leant forward to grab his hips. Yet the damage had been done. Niki shuddered, one hand on Teos’ stomach as he had to take a moment to gather himself. Being so suddenly split open was sending sparks of pain all the way to his fingertips. Yet being filled so deeply, stretched so wide, it felt amazing no matter how much it hurt. In fact, the pain only heightened the thrill as he ground his hips back, delighted to draw a moan out of the man beneath him. A moment more to recover and Niki leaned back, his hands upon Teos’ thighs as he raised his hips, revelling in the long slow drag against his insides. Every time he sank back down, he felt his body shift to accept the weight inside of him. Teos raised one hand to rub slow circles into Niki’s chest, toying with his piercings as he let out low moans of ecstasy. He grew louder each time Niki almost released his cock, the tip catching at his rim, only to drive himself down until he was flush with Teos’ hips. Niki was forced to go slow, not from lack of desire, but out of how far his thighs could support him across the edge between pain and pleasure. He shifted angle, chasing that glorious spot inside of him, as Teos began to meet his movements with languid thrusts of his hips.

“Sir!” Niki’s body went rigid, his thighs shaking, his cock twitching as pleasure sought to rob him entirely of thought. Teos had found it, picking up the pace as Niki screamed and shuddered. Again, and again, Niki felt like his nerves were on fire. The relentless friction against his prostate robbed him of speech as he attempted to lift himself once more. Yet this time, his quivering thighs refused to budge. His muscles clenched as if refusing to abandon the cock inside him. It was too much. He couldn’t move. He looked up at Teos with wide lust-filled eyes and whimpered. He needed more. He needed so much more but… his body just wasn’t cooperating.

Teos smiled as he took handfuls of Niki’s ass, lifting him with ease before slamming him back onto his cock with a jolt of pleasure that had Niki screaming ‘sir’ at the top of his lungs. Niki collapsed forward, wrapping his arms about those broad shoulders as he writhed and panted against the steady of roll of Teos’ hips. Niki had never been a quiet partner, but being fucked whilst a pair of muscular hands played with ass, teased at his rim… Teos only succeeded in quieting him by drawing him another domineering kiss. Yet the novelty of being kissed, of his pleasure mattering, of knowing this man wanted him to feel good too… Niki couldn’t stop his cries. His climax imminent, it was all too much to take. His hips twitched as he felt his pleasure reach breaking point and –

Nothing.

He opened his eyes.

There was a wicked glint in Teos’ eyes as he held on tightly to the base of Niki’s cock, still bouncing him with shallow thrusts. The too-hot sensation in Niki’s stomach ached and burned but he couldn’t find release, not with that vice-like grip on him.

“Sir,” he whimpered, “Sir why?”

He pouted the best he could through the assault on his insides. Teos drew him in closer, putting an arm around him so Niki rested his head, panting, on his shoulder.

“Did I say you could come?”

The sudden authority in his tone brought Niki back to the brink of orgasm so quickly that he almost cried at the cruel grip on his cock. However, it was obvious what effect the order had on him. Teos let out a low moan, his chest rumbling in delighted laughter as he picked up the pace. Niki clung to his shoulders as he began to thrust harder and harder. His speed erratic, he gripped Niki’s hips, raising him and slamming him back down to meet each upward movement of his own. 

Niki raked his nails across Teos’ back as he willed himself not to come. Surely it was impossible! Teos was striking his prostate with each forceful thrust, making him scream under the relentless assault. Niki felt the grip lessen and kept himself from coming through sheer determination. His cheeks were hot with tears and exertion. His cock rubbed against Teos’ abs, the extra stimulation making him dizzy with sensation. He started kissing Teos’ chest once more, as if seeking something, anything, to stop him disobeying orders. His mind was blank in the face such overwhelming pleasure.

“Beautiful,” Teos murmured, both arms around Niki as he buried his face in his shoulder, receiving a face full of ginger curls as Niki moaned at the compliment.

“Please,” Niki’s voice cracked as the pace became merciless, “Please.  _ Please _ .”

“Please what?” Teos teased. Niki let out a long whine, but he was too far gone not to beg.

“Please,” he tried again, “Please please Sir, let me come. I-I need to come Sir, please!”

Teos let out a low moan, grinning at Niki’s pleas. His pace faltered just for a moment before suddenly he chuckled

“Well as you asked so nicely,” he said , “Come. Come for me Niki.”

All he’d needed was his name. Niki’s resolve shattered as he came over both their stomachs, pressed so tightly up against Teos’ torso. Everything was too hot, too good, too much… He was an over-sensitised mess, draped over Teos as he thrust once, twice… Niki let out a pathetic moan as he felt teeth sink into his shoulder, breaking skin as Teos fucked him through his own release. Wet heat coated Niki’s insides, only to gush out of him as Teos lifted him off his cock and rolled them onto their sides. Panting hard, Niki finally seemed to have robbed him of speech again. Yet he couldn’t bring himself to feel smug. Niki lay limp on the covers, occasionally twitching as the aftershocks of his orgasm threatened to steal his consciousness away. On the verge of sleep, he allowed himself to be rolled over as Teos tugged up the covers on the bed. Blankets rearranged to his liking, Teos picked Niki up and placed him amongst the pillows. Niki had the sense to roll over, looking for a cloth or tissue to do something about the stickiness, but Teos wasn’t prepared to let him escape just yet. He lay under the blankets, drawing Niki into his arms and another, much gentler, kiss.

Oh gods.

Oh gods. Was this really… was this real? The sensation pierced the post-orgasmic haze as Niki weakly returned the kiss. The arms around him were warm, so strong yet so gentle with him as he struggled with the realisation of what this could mean.

Teos was cuddling with him.

Teos wanted to kiss him even after fucking him.

He felt… Krokt, he felt  _ wanted _ .

He thought he might cry. This was so much. It was enough that Teos had bothered with foreplay. It was enough that he’d praised him. It was enough that he’d cared about Niki’s pleasure as well as his own. It was enough that Niki wasn’t currently in agony. Any of those things by themselves were miracles, yet he’d done all of them. And on top of all that, Teos was hugging him! He was getting kissed – surprisingly chaste kisses across his nose and cheeks. He returned the kisses with all the energy he could muster as tears dripped down his cheeks.

“You alright?” Teos murmured.

Niki nodded as his brain caught up with his reactions. Was this how they had sex beyond the stars? Was such affection normal? Was caring about your partner normal? If so, he was now ruined for Ravnican men.

“P-Perfect,” Niki replied, “I’m, you’re…perfect.”

He buried his face in Teos’ shoulder so he couldn’t see his tears. He wanted to stay here, with him, just for a bit. Yes, this would come to an end, no doubt sooner than he would like. But in one morning, this stranger had managed to make all his regulars look like assholes. Part of him knew he shouldn’t be so overwhelmed by an embrace. It was laughable really. He was so business-like about sucking cock but a few kind gestures had driven him into a desperate frenzy. He felt Teos comb his fingers through his hair, letting him take a moment to compose himself. This was a customer. A  _ customer _ . He was supposed to be professional here.

“Will-will you visit me again Sir?”

The smile on Teos’ face made him hope like nothing had made him hope before.


End file.
